Chapter Nine: Communion
Sage pressed the accelerator and felt the slight pressure of gravity as the car responded instantly. It had been a long time since he had driven this fast, and he had to admit some part of him still missed his racing days. The feel of a perfectly-tuned machine racing over asphalt, the adrenaline rush of speed, the sheer power in his control…oh, yeah, he missed it. Now I rarely drive over the speed limit, he mused. I obey all signals, I'm cautious and careful at all times…my God, I drive like a grownup. The thought made him smile, and he impulsively pressed the accelerator just a bit more, watching as the needle on the speedometer rose. Of course, he still stayed within the legal limit, if only barely…he didn't need to get pulled over, not right now. What he needed was to get home.
It was strange, he thought, but ever since his talk with the guys that morning he felt oddly clearheaded, as if he had just walked out of a fogbank he hadn't even known was there. Well, they say confession is good for the soul. He could think straight again for the first time in what seemed like weeks, and it had given him an idea --- an idea he had not wanted to share with the others lest they try to talk him out of it.
His thoughts turned to Carey, and he wondered what she was doing at that moment. Part of him wanted to drive directly to the ballet studio, to take his beloved in his arms and beg her forgiveness…either that or bundle her into the car, take her home, and make insanely passionate love to her for the next forty-eight hours. Sage chuckled wryly and shook his head. Down, boy. The work he had planned would require a clear, focused mind…and daydreams about a two-day romp in bed with his bride-to-be were not going to help. He turned on the CD player and classical music instantly filled the car. Sage smiled as he recognized it; Swan Lake. Somehow the tale of lovers menaced by an evil sorcerer seemed appropriate now…of course, he was aiming for the happy-ending version this time.
The apartment was dark and quiet when he arrived home, and he was glad Carey hadn't come home yet. As much as he needed to talk to her, to clear the air and hopefully patch things up between them, there was something else he needed to do first. He dropped his suitcase by the closet door, not even bothering to open it --- there would be time to unpack later. Exchanging his shirt and slacks for the comfortable gi and hakama he preferred for meditation, he hunted around in the closet until he found what he was looking for.
The small latched box sat at the very back of the top shelf of the bedroom closet, its top furred with dust. Carey had asked him what it was when he had first put it away there, and he remembered that he had simply told her it was a personal memento from high school. The months'-worth of dust dulling the dark wood told him that she had honored his privacy. A pang of guilt stabbed him as he brushed off the box. There's so much I haven't told Carey, so many secrets I've kept from her…and the ones I do tell her she has to practically drag out of me. But she never pries, never sneaks around behind my back trying to find the answers I won't give her. It seems she trusts me a lot more than I trust her. Sage sighed, then resolutely pushed the guilt aside. First things first.
It took a few minutes to set everything up in the guest bedroom, but finally he was ready. A single pillar candle burned on a low table, the only light in the otherwise darkened room, and a thin curl of incense smoke drifted lazily into the air. Sage knelt on the mat he had spread over the floor and took several deep breaths, clearing his mind and centering his spirit, preparing himself for the task ahead. When he felt he was ready, he undid the latch and opened the box.
The little cherrywood box was lined with deep green silk --- Sage remembered wondering once if the color was different for each of them --- and a small metal disk engraved with the stylized lightning bolt of the Halo emblem was affixed to the underside of the lid. The boxes had appeared right after they had accepted their new armors; a final gift from Suzunagi, he supposed. His kanji crystal rested inside, gleaming softly against its silken bed.
Sage reached out and gently stroked the orb with a single finger. Instantly it sprang to life, glowing a vibrant green as the kanji chi --- wisdom --- appeared inside it. Even after seven years, it still responded. Sage sighed quietly. He had hoped he would never have to use the crystal again, but it was the only chance he had now. All their previous efforts to find Ryo had failed. It was time to try another way.
The psychic bond between the Ronins was still strong, Sage knew. He had seen proof enough of that over the past few weeks. But try as he might, he could not sense Ryo, not even in deepest meditation. Something was blocking him, and Sage was certain that it was the Devourer. The kanji crystals were powerful; they had led the other Ronins to him when he had been a prisoner in Shikaisen's subterranean lair, and Cye's armor orb had even teleported him from Japan to Tanzania when the rest of them had been in danger. Sage hoped now that his orb was strong enough to bypass the Devourer's barriers and let him contact Ryo directly.
At any rate, he was about to find out.
He lifted the orb from its silken nest, cradling it in his palm as its green luminescence threw shadows across his face. Closing his eyes, he let himself sink into the quiet of deep meditation. His senses opened; his awareness expanded. He felt the power of the crystal in his hand and he focused on it, shutting everything else out. Ryo, he thought. Help me find Ryo.
His spirit drifted free of his body, winding through a misty limbo. Ryo! Sage called. In his mind's eye he formed an image of his friend, of the fire that burned within Ryo's soul. Ryo, can you hear me? Where are you? He reached through the mist, searching, calling.
Suddenly he felt something --- a tentative touch. But where had it come from? He focused his spirit and reached out more strongly. There! He could see and feel it now; the crimson aura of Wildfire, oddly muted. Ryo! Ryo, is that you?
Sage? came the lethargic answer. Oh, God, Sage, what have you done?
I had to find you. Don't worry, we're going to get you out of this. Are you all right? Why did his friend seem so weak? He reached out farther, trying to penetrate the dark gray fog surrounding Ryo's spirit, but to his surprise Ryo shrank away from his touch. Ryo, it's okay. Let me help you, Sage reassured him.
No, Sage, go back. You have to go back now, Ryo insisted, suddenly agitated. You can't help me, none of you can. Please, just go back before it's too late!
I'm not going to just abandon you, Sage replied firmly, puzzled by Ryo's fear. What the hell had that demon done to him? Tell me where you are, Ryo.
Sage, look out ----
The black web descended on him without warning, snaring him in its coils. He struggled to free himself, but the web only tightened as a cruel laugh echoed in his mind. Welcome, Sage of Halo, a sepulchral voice told him. I've been waiting for you. Sage knew the voice, and it was then that he realized he had made a potentially fatal blunder.
I am in a LOT of trouble, he thought.
Thirty-two…thirty-three…thirty-four…
Carey's head whipped around as she whirled through fouetté after fouetté. Strands of her hair escaped their bun and her leotard clung to her back in wet patches, but she kept turning, her free leg lashing around her with a barely controlled savagery as the crashing chords of Tchaikovsky's "Black Swan" finale filled the room. She had always loved the character of Odile; the seductive power and energy and wildness of the Black Swan was, in her eyes, much more exciting than the innocent passivity of other ballet heroines…and right now it fit her mood perfectly. Of course, she was completely ignoring the rest of the choreography, but what the hell --- it was the only way she could think of to distract herself from the dark cloud of anger and frustration that seemed to be her constant companion these past few days. Hopefully a good, hard workout would take the edge off and lessen the hurt a bit.
Or, failing that, maybe she could at least fouetté herself into insensibility.
Thirty-nine…forty…forty-one…forty-two…
Of course, for that to happen, she would have to get tired…and therein lay the problem, she thought with a frown. Her stamina and speed seemed to have increased dramatically lately, and she had no idea why. She wasn't doing anything different beyond her usual daily workouts --- except the weapons training with Sage.
Forty-eight…forty-nine…fifty…fifty-one…
The weapons training…Carey's frown deepened as she recalled the fight in the Date dojo. She hadn't even been studying swordfighting for a year, and yet she had taken down a kendo master. Through unorthodox methods, to be sure, but still --- I defeated a master swordsman, a Grand Champion, a freaking legend, for crying out loud! And that was after I had managed to keep up with him for an hour and a half of hard practice! I'd never picked up anything but a prop sword before I met Sage, and yet I've become an expert practically overnight --- a few lessons with him and it feels like I've been a swordswoman all my life. Why? Why do I think this is all happening for a reason? Why do I feel like I'm going to need those skills, and soon?
And why the hell have I just done sixty-five fouettés without having to call the paramedics?
She whirled into a triple pirouette, then finished in a sharp, clean fifth position on pointe with her head held high and her arms curving regally over her head…and I'm hardly even breathing hard, she thought in a mixture of amazement and dismay. What's happening to me?
The sound of applause startled her, and she turned to see Jason Date standing in the doorway clapping enthusiastically. "Brava," he said with a smile. "If you can do that, then Masuhiro has no right to complain that you don't practice kendo."
"Mr. Date," Carey stammered. "I-I didn't know you were in town."
"Well, I was here visiting a colleague for the day, and I decided I'd come see what my future daughter-in-law did for a living. And please, Carey, call me Jason."
"I thought that was a faux-pas in Japan," Carey replied, one eyebrow lifting slightly.
Jason Date chuckled. "It is," he admitted ruefully. "But even after living here for over thirty years, there are still times when I really miss American informality."
Carey turned off the CD player, then reached for her towel and began to mop her face and arms. "I wish I had known you were here. Sage is in Hagi for Cye Mouri's mom's funeral. He should be back tonight, though."
"You didn't go?"
"I wanted to, but I had to dance the past couple of nights, and there wasn't anyone else who knew the role. And besides…Sage and I need some time apart right now," Carey explained, lowering her eyes. "We're having a few problems, and we just need some space to work them out."
"I know," Jason replied quietly. "That's why I came to see you. I didn't get a chance to talk to you while you and Sage were at the house last weekend, but I noticed the strain between the two of you. I was hoping there was something I could do to help."
Carey shrugged, avoiding that piercing lavender gaze so much like Sage's. "It's…it's okay, really. I guess it's just something we have to hash out between ourselves."
Jason smiled sympathetically. "He's giving you the cold shoulder, isn't he?" At Carey's startled look, he added, "Carey, Sage is my only son. He's a good man, I'm proud of him, and I love him dearly. None of which blinds me to the fact that Sage can be a royal bastard when he puts his mind to it."
A reluctant smile tugged at Carey's lips. "That's not a very nice thing to say about your own child."
"Maybe not, but it's the truth. Look, I know my son a lot better than he thinks I do. Most people, when they're scared or hurt or unhappy, will reach out and cling to someone. Sage does just the opposite --- he pushes people away. The unhappier he is, the more he isolates himself."
"I know, I've seen it," Carey said softly. "But…oh, hell, who am I kidding? I'm just as bad as he is." She brushed a strand of her hair out of her face and her shoulders drooped in dismay. "I just don't get it. We're getting married in a month and we can barely say two civil words to one another. Why don't any of the wedding manuals ever cover this?"
Jason sat down on the bench and regarded the young woman thoughtfully. "This is hard on you, isn't it?" he said after a moment. "Marrying into a completely different culture, leaving everything familiar behind, having to face a whole new way of life. I know what it's like, Carey, I've been there."
Carey sighed. "Well, I chose this," she admitted. "I don't have anyone to blame but myself." She looked over at Jason. "I turned him down the first time, you know."
"The first time?"
"It was last summer, right after Sage brought me home to meet all of you for the first time. I was going to Seattle to teach at a summer intensive. The night before I left, Sage asked me to marry him…and I told him I couldn't."
"Why?"
"I was homesick, and the company in Seattle was planning to offer me a job as one of their principal dancers. I loved Sage with all my heart, but I knew his grandfather disapproved of me. I thought that if Sage married me it would cause a huge rift between him and the rest of you, that he might even be cut off from his family, and I couldn't let that happen because of me. He tried to tell me that it didn't matter, but I was afraid to take the risk. I turned him down and left for Seattle, never intending to come back."
Jason's eyes narrowed slightly. "This company…which one was it?"
"Pacific Northwest Ballet."
"I've heard of them. Quite prestigious," he mused. "Did they offer you that job?"
"Yes," Carey replied quietly. "And since then I've also had offers from American Ballet Theatre and the Royal Ballet…and I turned all of them down."
"Does Sage know about this?"
Carey shook her head. "He knows about Pacific Northwest, but not the others. I didn't tell him because I didn't want to put that kind of guilt trip on him."
"Three of the top ballet companies in the world wanted you. You could have had international fame…but instead you chose my son," Jason said. "Do you think you made the right choice?"
"I don't know anymore," Carey said helplessly. "I love him so much, but lately it just seems like everything's falling apart around us. I feel like we're strangers, like I don't really know him and maybe I never did." She flopped down onto the bench next to Jason and planted her elbows on her knees, staring unhappily at the floor. "We're fighting over things that are really kind of stupid when you think about it; any little thing seems to set us off. I don't want to live without Sage, but lately I'm not sure I can live with him either, and I'm just so confused!" she finished in a rush.
"Sounds like my own wedding," Jason commiserated. "The last few weeks before we got married, Megumi and I were arguing about everything. If I said black, she said white. Masuhiro wasn't helping any --- he tolerated me because I was Megumi's choice, but he made no secret of the fact that he thought his daughter was marrying well beneath her. The irony of it is, my family is even wealthier than the Dates. I was born Jason Halloran; my family headed The Halloran Group."
"The international investment firm?" Carey asked in astonishment.
"The very same. We're talking Fortune 500, the Forbes list, Ivy League colleges, endowments for the arts --- A-listers all the way. I went to Stanford, graduated with honors, was one of L.A.'s most eligible bachelors. But I wasn't good enough to marry the heiress to the noble Date name."
Carey blinked. "Let me get this straight. You gave up the privileged lifestyle of one of the wealthiest families in America in order to become a policeman and kendo master in an average-sized Japanese city?"
"Yup. And I never looked back," Jason affirmed. "You see, I figured something out. I realized that as unhappy as I was with Megumi at that moment, I'd be a hell of a lot more unhappy without her. This too shall pass, Carey. It did for me and it will for you. Look, I'm not going to lie to you. Life for you and Sage isn't going to be easy --- marriage never is. You both come from very different worlds, and you're going to have to find a way to merge those worlds, and, yeah, it's going to be difficult at times. But the two of you have something going for you that a lot of people don't…you have a love so strong and so real that nothing else is important."
"But is it enough?" Carey wondered. "We had a big argument a couple of days ago. Sage's been under a lot of stress because of this situation with…Ryo, and he had had a really bad night --- he woke up in the middle of the night screaming, like something had scared the hell out of him. But when I tried to get him to tell me about it the next morning he just…snapped. He started yelling at me, accused me of clinging to him; he said he was sick of feeling like he was in therapy."
"He what?"
"Those were his words, not mine. I got so mad I just walked out of the apartment without another word --- although I know I slammed the door hard enough to make up for it," Carey admitted ruefully. "Since then we've been kind of edging around each other, and every time one of us tries to get closer the other one backs away. It's like there's a wall between us, and neither one of us knows how to bring it down."
"Carey, back up a second. Sage yelled at you?" Jason asked incredulously.
"Yeah."
"My icy, proper, unflappable son lost his temper?"
Carey nodded miserably.
Jason Date threw back his blonde head and began to laugh heartily. Wrapping an arm around Carey's shoulders, he pulled the startled girl to him in a hug. "Oh, Carey --- I was right all along." He smiled at her confused look. "I remember the night Sage brought you to meet us for the first time. You looked to me like a delicate little doll that might blow away in a strong wind, but in the space of the evening you told off Masuhiro, declared war on Yayoi, and caused Sage to pronounce us all hypocrites before he stormed out after you. Do you know what I said to my wife that night?"
" 'Oh, no, we're doomed'?" Carey suggested.
"Not even close. After the two of you had gone, I looked at Megumi and said, 'If Sage doesn't have the sense to marry that girl, I'm going to kill him.' And do you know what she said to me?" Carey shook her head. " 'Get in line,'" Jason replied.
Carey considered this for a moment. "Then --- you wanted him to marry me? I was sure you'd be set against it, especially after that incident with Yayoi and that picture," she said hesitantly.
"Carey, believe it or not, you are exactly what I've always wanted for my son. All his life, Sage has had people telling him what he should do, what he should be. He should be proper and restrained and dutiful; he should bury his emotions and pretend they don't exist, because that's the way a warrior is supposed to behave. He should be willing to give up his own dreams in order to preserve the family legacy, otherwise he's a failure and a disgrace to the Date name. But no one has ever told him that he's fine just the way he is, that he's worthy of love in his own right…no one until you. Sage has so much fire, so much passion in him; he needs a woman who can match that fire rather than smother it. Someone who'll look him in the eye instead of looking up to him."
"That's a little hard to do, considering that I'm 5'4'' and he's almost six feet tall," Carey replied wryly.
"You know what I mean. Masuhiro wanted to marry my son off to some traditional demure Japanese girl raised on duty and responsibility. But Sage is going to have enough duty and responsibility ahead of him; he needs someone to remind him that there's more to life than that. He needs someone to remind him that he's a human being, too."
Carey sighed. "I guess. But…we fight, and he hurts me, and I forgive him. And then we fight again, and he hurts me again, and we just keep going in circles like that. Why do I always have to be the one to forgive? He has his pride, but so do I. Why is mine always less important?"
"Is it?" Jason asked. "You mean Sage has never apologized to you, never opened his heart and set his dignity aside? What did he say when you told him that you were turning down the Seattle job and coming back to Japan?"
Carey looked at the floor. "Uh…well, I, um…I didn't tell him," she confessed sheepishly. "I meant to, but I knew I had hurt him, and I was afraid he wouldn't want to see me."
"You mean you gave up that job and came back here not even knowing if you could patch things up with Sage? How did he find out?"
"A friend of mine tricked us into meeting three weeks after I got back --- he told me he wanted to rehearse and he told Sage he wanted to talk to him about a kendo competition."
"I see. And what was Sage's reaction to this little deception?"
"Um…he fussed at me for a few minutes. And then he asked me to marry him again." Carey bit her lip and looked chagrined. "I just blew my argument out of the water, didn't I?" She shoved a stray lock of hair from her face with a frown. "You know, it's weird. Listening to you, thinking about everything that's happened lately…maybe it's prenuptial paranoia, but why do I suddenly feel like it's not Sage and me doing this, but something else? Like --- maybe something is trying to break us up on purpose?" She shot a rueful glance at Jason. "That really sounds crazy, doesn't it?" she asked apologetically. "Mysterious outside forces with a sinister plan to ruin our wedding --- sheesh. Next thing you know I'll be ranting about aliens infiltrating the government and controlling our minds through radiated wasabi or something."
Jason chuckled. "Which would explain a lot, really. You wanted to know if love is enough --- well, let me put it this way. It was enough to make my dutiful, logical son willing to walk away from the position he's been groomed for since he was born. It was enough to make you give up the career offer of a lifetime. And it was enough that you both followed your hearts and neither one of you gave a damn who disapproved." He took Carey's small hands between both of his and looked her straight in the eye. "You and Sage chose each other, Carey, and you did it for a reason. Maybe it's time you both remembered what that reason was."
"Or maybe it's time we found out," Carey said, so softly Jason barely heard her. She sat for a moment, a thoughtful expression on her face. Then, with the speed of a woman accustomed to quick changes, she pulled a pair of loose-fitting pants over her tights, scooped up her bag and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Jason asked.
Carey paused in the doorway and looked back at him over her shoulder. "Home," she said decisively. "And Jason --- gracias." Then she was gone.
The Devourer's evil power wrapped around him, sending shocks of pain through his spirit, and try as he might Sage could not break free. Fight all you want, the demon told him, it won't save you. I told you that you would come to me.
No! Sage replied defiantly, straining fruitlessly against the cruel bonds. God, how had it gotten so strong? I don't know what you did to Ryo, but I'm not going to let you win!
The Devourer chuckled viciously, and to Sage's shock it began to pull at his soul like a fisherman reeling in his catch. Do you really think you can stop me? it asked scornfully. You overconfident fool. You played right into my hands by sending your spirit out unguarded. Now I have you trapped and there's no one who can help you.
No! Ryo, help me! Sage pleaded desperately, even though he couldn't sense Ryo anymore --- he couldn't sense anything but the demon's black, choking evil. A wave of agony hit him; he fought it off, but more followed and it was all he could do not to crumple beneath them. Was this what Ryo had had to endure all this time? Ryo! he cried.
He won't help you…he belongs to me, the Devourer said triumphantly. And none of your friends will be able to reach you in time. Soon I'll have your soul and your power with it, and then nothing will be able to stop me. You are mine, Sage of Halo. You are mine!
Sage fought the monster's grasp with all his strength, but the Devourer was incredibly powerful. In a moment of soul-freezing horror he saw the Devourer's true nature; he felt its greed, its hunger to consume him. He knew it…and worse, it knew him. He was helpless and exposed beneath the dark energy, his defenses stripped away. The demon dragged him relentlessly toward its black maw, and he knew that it would only be a matter of time before the thin lifeline holding his body and soul together would snap. The monster would engulf his soul, leaving his body an empty, lifeless shell. Carey…how would she feel, coming home to find his abandoned body? No! Sage cast his thoughts out frantically, hoping that one of the other Ronins would hear him and somehow come to his aid. Someone, help! Cye! Rowen! Kento! Anybody!
HELP ME!
Carey unlocked the door and walked into the apartment. The lights were on, and Sage's car keys were on the table where he always left them. "Sage? I'm home," Carey called. There was no answer. "Sage?"
The apartment was silent, and Carey just stood there for a moment, wondering what to do next. An odd feeling of unease had been prickling at the back of her neck ever since she had left the studio, and now it was pulsing in her ears like a slow drumbeat. Something's wrong…something's wrong…something's wrong… She shook her head with a small, derisive laugh. Sage was probably in the shower, or he might even have gone to bed already…it had been a long trip from Hagi, and he was probably tired. Honestly, I really am getting paranoid. Carey dropped her dance bag on the floor and headed for the bedroom, trying to ignore the steadily increasing cadence of warning.
Something's wrong…something's wrong…something's wrong…
The bedroom was empty, the bed as neatly made as it had been this morning. Sage's suitcase sat by the closet door, still closed. Carey frowned to herself. It didn't even look like Sage had unpacked yet…so where was he? He hadn't been in the kitchen, and she hadn't heard water running in the bathroom, which left only one place.
She knocked gently on the closed door of the guest bedroom. "Sage? Honey, are you in there?" No reply, and Carey's frown deepened. "Sage, is everything all right?" Just then she caught a faint, familiar scent…incense, she realized, and relaxed. Sage was meditating, and she knew he would not like being disturbed. It was an unspoken agreement between them; he did not disturb her practices and she did not interrupt his meditations. But that drumbeat of warning was galloping urgently now, and she could not make it go away. Something's wrong something's wrong something's wrong…
"Oh, hell," Carey muttered aloud. "Well, maybe I can just look in on him without him noticing…after all, he does get pretty wrapped up in his meditations sometimes." She placed her hand on the doorknob and turned it as silently as she could.
HELP ME!
Carey gasped and clutched the doorframe. The desperate cry had hit her like an arrow between the shoulder blades; it echoed in her ears and it took her a moment to realize it had not been said aloud. Then how…? Not even bothering to be subtle now, she threw open the door. "Sage!"
He was kneeling on the mat he used for his meditations, just like always, but there was nothing normal in the rigidity of his body or the faint choking sounds coming from his taut throat. Carey ran to him --- to hell with their unspoken agreement. "Sage! Sage, are you all right?" Santa Madre, was he having a seizure? She took hold of his shoulders and shook him, first gently then a little less so. "Sage, wake up! Talk to me! Sage!"
Her arms closed around him, and that was when she felt it…something in the room with them, something powerful and malevolent and hungry, something that wanted Sage. It was like walking into the teeth of a hurricane. Carey's lips curled back from her teeth in a feral snarl without her even realizing it; instinctively she knew that this was their enemy, this was the cause of all their problems. An image formed unbidden in her mind --- a black web wrapped around Sage's bright soul (why it was green she had no idea), feeding greedily on his strength, pulling him away from her. No! Sage!
At that moment something new roared to life within her, as if someone had thrown gasoline on a low-burning fire. It was wild and fierce and dangerous; there was nothing to do but yield to it with a savage joy. The flames engulfed her, filled her, became part of her, and she turned that newfound fury on her foe without hesitation. No! she told the alien presence ferociously. I will not let you have him! Her arms tightened around Sage's frozen body, and at the same time her mind's eye "saw" herself wrapped around him, a blaze of red holding him down like an anchor. But the enemy was strong; she could feel it tugging relentlessly at both of them and she wasn't sure how much longer they could hold out. There has to be something connecting them, some link I can break. But what?
She had a strange feeling just then, as if someone was calling her but they were too far away for her to make out what they were saying. Something about a crystal? She looked down at Sage's hands. His right hand was tightly clenched and cradled in the left, and suddenly Carey wondered if he was holding something. Without releasing her hold on him, she pulled at the fingers of his right hand, trying to pry them open. It was hard work --- especially since she still had Sage in a physical death grip as well as a mental one --- but she finally managed to force the rigid fingers apart.
A green orb the size of a large marble sat on Sage's palm. It glowed as if lit from within, and Carey even thought she glimpsed something written inside it, a Japanese character she didn't recognize. Somehow she knew that this was what formed the link between Sage and their invisible foe. She reached for it, only to jerk her hand back as something very like an electrical shock raced up her arm. Their enemy kept pulling at them, and she could have sworn she heard it laugh. That does it! Snarling in rage, she grabbed the orb --- shocks be damned --- and hurled it viciously against the wall. Immediately the unseen storm died away; the strange fire that had taken hold of her vanished and the choking web was gone.
Sage went limp in her arms so abruptly she almost dropped him.
Kayura knelt on the cushion in her meditation chamber, her eyes closed and a small furrow of concentration between her brows. She had been spending a lot of time in meditation lately, trying to find some clear answers to the Ronin Warriors' predicament. She knew that if the Ronins failed to stop the Devourer, it would overrun the mortal world…and then it would only be a matter of time before it turned its sights on the Nether Realm. She could not, would not let that happen.
The visions were frustratingly ambiguous, though, and she frowned slightly as they came to her again: a demon laughing as it stretched its claws over a shadowy form, black storm clouds forming over a sleeping city, a broken circle, a gate leading to darkness. But lately she had seen something else; a large black bird --- a swan? --- with glowing golden eyes, and two flames, one captive in a cage of fog, one that slumbered waiting to burst into roaring life. What does it all mean?
The cry came suddenly, slicing into her visions. HELP ME! She sensed pain and fear, felt someone struggling. She reached out a bit more, got the sense of the soul that had called her. Sage! Somehow he had become entangled in the Devourer's web, and not even his considerable psychic powers were enough to free him. Unless someone intervened quickly, his soul would be drained from him, leaving him an empty husk. But there was no way she could possibly reach Sage in time.
But even as the thought formed, Kayura became aware of another presence…one she had sensed only vaguely before, one that suddenly ignited with determination and a newfound power. Once more she had that strange vision of a black swan, its wings protectively outstretched, screaming in defiance. I will not let you have him! Kayura relaxed and settled back into her meditation as the puzzle became a little bit clearer.
She could not help Sage…but there was someone else who could.
Sage suddenly felt another presence, fierce and determined. I will not let you have him! This new presence wrapped itself around him, anchoring him as it tried to pull him back to his own body. He could feel its raw, blazing strength, a wildfire out of control…but it wasn't Ryo. Then who…? But there was no time to figure it out; the Devourer was still stronger than they were, and Sage realized despairingly that it was only a matter of time before the demon would engulf them both.
The crystal! It was their only hope --- they had to get rid of the kanji crystal forming the connection between him and the demon. He couldn't move his paralyzed body, but maybe his rescuer could. Get rid of the crystal! He could feel the other presence straining, fighting to keep its hold on him, and he heard the Devourer laugh in triumph as it pulled them closer. Please! Sage begged his would-be savior. You have to get rid of the ----
The demon's grip on him was severed with the suddenness of a guillotine blade, sending Sage's soul slamming back into his body with a shattering impact. The last thing Sage heard was the Devourer's scream of rage before his senses abandoned him.
They came back in a confused rush, a tidal wave threatening to drown him. It seemed to Sage that he could feel every emotion in the entire apartment building…the self-important glee of the man across the hall, who had just been promoted; the knife-edged anger of the arguing couple two floors down (within days they would file for divorce); the sleepy contentment of the little girl in the apartment above as her mother tucked her into bed; even the serenity of a pigeon on a window ledge nearby. It all came at him at once, and he moaned weakly in pain beneath the onslaught. He knew he needed to shut his empathy-sense off, but he had his hands full just trying to keep everyone else's feelings from driving him insane.
Something closed around him then, muting the flood of emotion like a curtain blocking a too-bright sun. No, not a curtain, Sage thought dazedly --- like wings, black-velvet angel wings wrapped protectively about him. Somehow he managed to find the wit to close down his extended senses enough that he no longer felt the emotions of everyone in the building, and it was then that he realized that there really was something wrapped around him; it felt like someone's arms. His cheek rested against something soft and warm, and he could hear a steady throbbing next to his ear as gentle fingers caressed his hair and a voice murmured indistinctly above him. But it was the other feeling he got from this person that really caught his attention. He sensed tenderness, worry for his safety, a passionate determination to protect and shield him. And underlying all of it was an emotion so strong, so pure, so unshakeable that it took Sage's breath away.
Love.
Curiosity overcame him, and he opened his eyes a crack to see who his rescuer was --- then shut them just as quickly as a bright red light nearly blinded him. A faint, involuntary whimper of pain escaped him as he realized he had not entirely closed off his "other" senses. Shut it down shut it down shut it down…With an effort, Sage shut down the rest of his extended senses. The "angel wings" vanished along with that strange, intense feeling of love, but the warmth of it still lingered softly.
"Sage? Are you all right?"
Sage groaned and sat up, a hand pressed to his aching head. Ohhh…that's the last time I try that little stunt. He felt battered, wrung out, drained both physically and emotionally...but at least he was alive. But how? Cautiously, he opened his eyes…and found himself staring into Carey's beautiful face. And in that instant, he knew the truth.
She loves me. Even with all the problems we've been having, even when I shut her out and lie to her and hurt her, she still loves me, enough to risk her own life saving me from the Devourer. And that's why she came back to me in the first place, why she isn't off dancing in Seattle or Paris or somewhere. Rowen was right…I've forgotten. The realization left him feeling both humbled and incredibly blessed.
"Sage?" Carey asked hesitantly. In answer, Sage pulled her into his arms so tightly he feared he might hurt her, burying his face against her neck. She didn't flinch, but returned his embrace just as fiercely. They sat on the floor in the candlelit dimness, clinging to each other as if they would never let go.
Finally Sage raised his head. Brushing away tears he hadn't even realized were there, he looked into the eyes of the woman he adored. "I think I've got some explaining to do," he said.
The Devourer's howl of fury filled its lair. So close! SO CLOSE!! It had almost had Halo, had been about to consume that bright soul and leave the body an empty shell…and then that other presence had interfered. It had drawn Halo back to the world of the living, and left the demon empty-handed.
No, the demon realized suddenly. Not 'it'…she. The woman, Halo's lover. Somehow she had been strong enough to rescue him from the Devourer's clutches. But how? The Devourer frowned. It had thought her harmless…but there had been no mistaking the surge of power that had torn Halo from the demon's grasp. Something new had been awakened, and that woman was its source. It still did not think she was any real threat, but nonetheless --- she would have to be watched.
The demon had miscalculated before. It would not do so again.
Sage flopped onto the couch with a deep sigh. He had showered and changed, but somehow it hadn't helped. He was exhausted, every muscle and bone and nerve fiber aching…and the real challenge was yet to come, he thought wryly. How in the world was he going to explain this to Carey?
"You even collapse gracefully," the object of his musings said as she emerged from the kitchen carrying two steaming cups of tea. "Are you sure you won't consider a career in dance?"
Sage smiled and gratefully accepted the cup she handed him. "No thanks, love. I had enough problems getting my family to approve of my current career." Carey must have come straight from the studio, he realized; her hair was still up in its usual bun and she was wearing her practice outfit of leotard, warm-up pants and…"You're still wearing your pointe shoes," he observed in surprise. Knowing how careful Carey was about her shoes, the sight of the scuffed, battered pink satin told him more than any words could have.
Startled, Carey looked down at her feet as she joined Sage on the couch. "I never even noticed," she said with an incredulous little laugh. "I was in such a hurry I didn't even think about changing my shoes --- all I knew was that I had to get home."
"I'm glad you did. You saved my life," Sage replied. He took another sip of his tea, then set the cup down and turned to face his fiancée. "I guess I owe you an explanation," he said quietly.
"Shhh…it doesn't have to be now," Carey reassured him, smoothing his blonde hair away from his face. "I'm not really sure what happened back there, but it was obviously something big and bad…you look wiped out, sweetheart. Whatever it was, it can wait."
Sage was sorely tempted to agree with her --- right now he wanted nothing more than to just lay his head in her lap and let her stroke his hair the way he had always loved --- but he forced himself to stand firm. "No, it can't," he insisted gently. "For at least two reasons. One is that you just saved me from a very hungry and now very angry demon, something even I don't know how you managed. It knows about you now, Carey; for better or for worse, you've become a part of this. You deserve to know exactly what it is you've been dragged into."
"And the second reason?"
A chagrined little smile crossed Sage's face. "The second reason is that if I don't tell you now, I'll lose my nerve and chicken out completely," he admitted, then took a deep breath. "This is going to sound really bizarre, but bear with me." Haltingly, the story came out; his empathy gifts, the psychic bond between the Ronins, his plan to locate Ryo and his near-capture by the Devourer. She didn't say a word as he spoke, but her golden eyes never left his face.
When the recitation was over, Carey sat in silence for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "So you can actually sense what other people are feeling?" she asked finally. "And the five of you can each tell when another is in trouble?"
"Well, it's a bit more complex than that, but that basically sums it up," Sage replied.
"And that green thing you were holding? What was that?"
"That's called a kanji crystal or an armor orb. Depends on who you ask." Sage looked at his lover. "You're taking this awfully well."
"Sage, I felt that demon trying to grab you. There's not much you can tell me now that would surprise me anymore." Carey sighed, then looked up at him. "Just answer one question for me. Why didn't you really want to tell me about the armors?"
Sage considered his words for a heartbeat or so. "Because I was afraid to," he finally said softly. "Carey, the reason I kept the truth about the armors from you wasn't because I don't trust you. I do. But I was afraid that if I gave you the whole 'I-was-a-teenage-mystical-warrior' story you'd think I was insane and you'd leave me again."
"Do you think I'm that fickle?" Carey asked. "I promised you that I would stay with you, Sage. That's why I came back in the first place, and it's why I agreed to marry you."
"I know. But you agreed to marry me before you found out about my secret identity. I know I don't say it often enough, but I love you so much, Carey, more than I know how to put into words. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you again --- the first time was bad enough. It's not just that, though. I also didn't want to tell you about the armors because…." Sage bit his lip slightly, then squared his shoulders. "Because I was afraid of them. We haven't worn the Ronin armors for seven years. In that time we've finally been able to see what it's like to live a normal life, one where we didn't have to face a new demon everyday, where we never had to worry that we might not live to see the next morning. For the first time in years we could actually dare to think we had a future. We found peace, Carey, and I for one didn't want to lose that, especially not after I fell in love with you. I was afraid that if I told you about the armors, it would somehow bring them back into our lives and we'd have to fight again --- and this time we had a lot more to lose. I wasn't willing to take that chance," Sage finished, then smiled wryly. "I know it doesn't make much sense, but there you have it."
Carey was silent for a moment. Then she sighed. "It's my fault, too," she admitted quietly. "I was overreacting, letting myself get upset about nothing. I mean, it's not like you were having an affair or anything like that. This whole thing with the armors happened long before we met, and you thought it was over. You never asked to be a Ronin Warrior; it was a painful time in your life, and I can't blame you for not wanting to relive it. Besides, I've had some time to think these past few days, and it finally dawned on me that while you may be a mystical armored warrior for the forces of good, you're also still the man I love, the man I decided I'd rather live with than dance without…you're still you. That hasn't changed. And to be honest, I wasn't really even mad at you because of your secret. I was mad at you because…because I'm scared."
"Of what?"
"Of the wedding, of this whole marriage thing."
Sage blinked. Somehow this wasn't the answer he'd been expecting. "You're scared of our wedding?"
"Well, yeah. Aren't you?" Not waiting for an answer, Carey went on, "You said something to me not too long ago --- that I was more concerned with the wedding itself than with who I was marrying, and in a way you were right. I've kept myself so busy concentrating on the details of this wedding that I've been able to keep from thinking about what it really means. But the other day I went for one of the last fittings on my wedding dress, and they told me to bring my veil and headpiece and any jewelry I'd be wearing --- the whole nine yards, so they could see how everything would look together. I stood there staring at myself in my full bridal regalia, and all of a sudden it just hit me --- this was real, this was happening, I was getting married! In just a few weeks I won't be Carey Navarro anymore; I'll be Mrs. Sage Date. I'll be a wife, a future matriarch, a…a grownup. And all of a sudden I'm just not sure if I'm ready." She twisted her fingers nervously together. "As much as I love you, as much as I want to marry you and spend my life with you and raise a dojofull of Japanese-Hispanic rugrats and grow old with you --- there's still this little tiny voice in the back of my head that tells me to run as far and as fast as I can and never look back. Not that I would," she added hastily. "But just the fact that I've even thought about it…I hate myself for being such a coward and I guess I just needed to take that out on someone and, well, you were the closest target. I'm sorry, honey," Carey finished in a small voice.
Sage couldn't help it --- he started to laugh. Carey's amber eyes widened in outrage. "I'm glad you think this is so funny," she sputtered, and got up to leave. Still laughing, Sage wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back down, and she squirmed furiously as a string of rather inventive Spanish epithets reeled from that lovely mouth.
"Ow --- dammit, Carey, knock it off," Sage protested between chuckles, trying to catch the small fist angrily pounding his thigh without letting her go. "I'm not laughing at you," he explained when he finally had her more or less restrained. "I'm laughing at myself."
Carey glared sulkily at him. "Oh, yeah, that's a good one, Sage. Why do I not believe it?"
"No, really. Do you realize that what you just told me is basically the same thing I told the guys just this afternoon? Sweetheart, I know it sounds hard to believe, but I'm just as scared of this 'marriage thing' as you are," Sage told her honestly. "Once we say those vows and exchange rings, my life will never be the same. I won't be 'me' anymore; I'll be part of an 'us'. Does that make any sense?" he wondered. "What I mean is, soon my life won't be solely mine anymore. Soon I'll have to share my life completely, or at least more than I ever had before, and I'm not used to that. I know it's incredibly selfish, but there's a part of me that just doesn't want to deal with that kind of responsibility…it doesn't want to grow up."
"Just like mine," Carey said. She smiled. "Oh, Sage…do you think our parents went through this when they got married?"
"Probably. We're just carrying on an ancient and time-honored tradition," Sage replied wryly, hugging her close. Carey laughed softly and leaned her head against his shoulder, snuggling contentedly into his arms.
"We don't have to grow up all at once, you know," Carey said after a while. "We can still go out dancing until at least midnight and stuff the refrigerator with junk food."
"And we can laugh ourselves sick watching bad movies and scandalize everybody by kissing in public," Sage agreed, joining in the game.
"And waltz around the living room and make out in the back seat of the car," Carey added. "Which I don't think we've ever done, incidentally."
"That's because we both own compact cars," Sage teased. "A couple of toy poodles couldn't make out in the back seat of either of our cars, much less two full-grown adults."
Carey raised a dark eyebrow. "Oh, you think?" she replied. "Wait here." She got up and disappeared into their bedroom. When she reappeared a couple of minutes later, her hair was down and she had exchanged her ballet clothes for high heels, a tank top, and a skirt that could only be described as miniscule. She scooped up Sage's car keys from the table and tossed them to him, and to his surprise he actually managed to catch them. "It's a nice night," she purred with a seductive smile. "Why don't we go for a drive?"
Sage just sat there blinking for another second or two until her words sank in. Then his tiredness magically fell away and he wasted no time in getting to his feet and following her.
No way was he going to pass up an invitation like that.
The Devourer paced the confines of its hideout, snarling in rage. It sensed a new strength in its chosen prey; somehow they had bolstered their faltering bond, had regained their confidence in one another. They had broken its subtle hold on them and were once more banding together to fight. Once more the circle was whole…almost.
A feral smile curled the demon's lipless mouth. Very well. It had not been idle these past few days…far from it. Centuries of imprisonment had taught it how to plan, and it was not going to simply wait meekly for the Ronins to stumble onto it in their own good time. The Devourer was strong enough now that it no longer needed subtlety. It had toyed with its prey long enough --- it was time to show these mortal fools just how powerful it had become over these past few weeks. One of the warriors was still in its keeping; the rest would soon follow. The demon had made sure of that.
If it could not bring the Ronins to it one way…there was always another.
Sage snuggled into the rumpled sheets, smiling languorously into the darkness. Every muscle in his body felt heavy, weighted down with a delicious weariness that was nothing like the horrific drain of the Devourer's assault. Carey lay curled against his side, fast asleep, a slim arm draped possessively across his chest. Sage gently smoothed her tousled dark hair and his smile widened as he remembered exactly what they had done to get so tired.
First they had gone for a drive, a drive that had ended up at a dark, secluded lover's lane where Carey had proven to him that with a little ingenuity and flexibility, they could indeed make love in the back seat of his car. On the way home, he told her about the nightmare he had had a few days earlier, the one that had sparked their big fight. They had decided that the best way to get over the nightmare was to give it a much more pleasant ending…and pleasant was putting it mildly, Sage thought with a soft chuckle. They had been lovers for over a year, but she could still surprise him. They finally made it to their bed, intending to get some well-deserved rest…but one kiss and they were reaching for each other like hormone-crazed teenagers again.
Sage's eyelids drooped and he yawned. It was late and he really needed to get some sleep, especially after confronting the Devourer earlier, but somehow he didn't really want to close his eyes just yet. It just felt so good to lie next to the woman he loved, warm and drowsy and safe, and enjoy a few moments of peace --- something that he instinctively knew was going to be in short supply in the very near future. Their enemy was on to them now, and the stakes were about to get a lot higher.
Sage frowned slightly as a memory came back to him…a bright red light hovering over him when he had been pulled from his unnatural trance. Had he simply imagined it? On impulse, he called up his energy-sight. He saw the swirling, multicolored patterns of energy glowing in the darkness, his own aura pulsing a radiant green. Most of the energy trails were faint and not of any importance. But there was something bright next to him…Sage turned his head and blinked in astonishment. Carey's aura shone a brilliant flame-red, much brighter than it should have been. It wasn't as bright as his or any of the other Ronins' to be sure, but it was still unusually luminous, especially for someone who had no special gifts, no mystical abilities. Or did she? Curious now, Sage probed a little deeper…and got his second surprise of the night.
Ye gods --- she's an empath and she doesn't even know it! Sage shook his head in wonder. There was power there --- not as much as his, and it was raw and untrained, but it was definitely there. That's how she knew I was in danger, how she was able to save me from the Devourer! How in the hell did she go this long without anyone seeing this? For that matter, why didn't I see it? He smiled wryly to himself. Or maybe I did…it would certainly explain why I was drawn to her from our first meeting, why I've always felt so safe around her and why I let her get closer to me than anyone else ever has. I let her teach me to dance, for crying out loud! He had to fight the urge to laugh out loud with sheer delight. Oh, Carey, Carey…will you ever stop surprising the hell out of me? Brava, my love! He decided to test his new discovery. Keeping his own senses open, Sage concentrated on projecting feelings of distress and confusion --- not sharp or especially violent ones, just enough to be felt.
Carey stirred suddenly beside him. "Sage?" she murmured sleepily. "What's wrong, honey?"
"Nothing, aisuru," Sage replied tenderly, kissing her forehead as he quickly switched to projecting a sense of peace and safety. "Go back to sleep, now…everything's all right." Reassured, Carey nestled into his embrace and was asleep again in seconds. But Sage lay awake a few moments longer, thinking. So…turns out my wife-to-be is an empath with an extraordinary affinity for swordfighting and enough power to save me from a soul-eating demon. I can't shake the feeling that we were brought together for a reason, that Carey plays some role in what's to come. I just wish I knew what that role was. Little by little the puzzle is coming together…something big is about to happen. The clouds are gathering, and it won't be long before the storm hits. The question is, are we ready to face it? He looked at his sleeping lover and smiled. Somehow, I think we are. We may be missing our leader, but we have other allies. And we're going to give this demon the fight of its life.
Sage yawned again, his eyelids suddenly too heavy to hold up any longer. But before we do that, I intend to get a good night's sleep. Still smiling, he tucked the sheet around himself and Carey, resting his cheek against her hair as he felt himself relax. Then he closed his eyes and let sleep take him where it would.
A low rumble of thunder echoed in the distance as clouds began to drift across the face of the moon.
***********************************************************************************************
fouetté: (fway-TAY) French, meaning "whipped". The technical term is fouetté rond de jambe en tournant, which means "whipped circle of the leg [while] turning". The dancer executes a series of turns while whipping the working (raised) leg around to provide momentum, the foot closing in to the knee of the supporting leg. Can be done with one or more rotations in a single whip. The best-known example of a fouetté sequence is the famous 32 fouettés performed by the Black Swan in Act 3 of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.
fifth position: One of the basic positions of classical ballet; the feet are close together, one directly in front of the other so that the heel of one foot touches the toes of the other. Fifth position on pointe means that the feet are still close together, one in front of the other, but the dancer is on the tips of her toes with the heels touching.
Santa Madre: Spanish, "Holy Mother".
aisuru: Japanese, "beloved".
A.N.: Don't worry, faithful readers; despite the preceding revelations, this story is NOT going to become yet another "Mary-Sue-gets-an-ultra-powerful-armor-and-saves-the-guys'-butts-not-to-mention-the-entire-world" fic --- I wouldn't do that to either of us. :-p And as always, I rely on your feedback to bring meaning to my otherwise worthless and drab existence. J