Midnight Shadows
Part 2
By Mieren
Ryo trudged along with the others down the tunnels, grateful for the darkness that hid him from his friends' eyes. They had prodded him for nearly an hour, not understanding that he only wanted to be left alone, to be away from them before he hurt them again. Cye walked beside him, occasionally glancing in his direction. Ryo grimaced every time his crimson eyes met Cye's ruby. It wasn't as bad as having the others look at him, but it still tore him up. He didn't want the guys to see him like this.
Cye watched Ryo anxiously. He had to snap out of this soon. Looking ahead, he saw the girl quicken her pace slightly, nearly bouncing on her toes in excitement. For a moment he didn't understand. Then he saw it. A golden light shining down the tunnel up ahead. As he rounded the next corner the light became a glowing wall at the end of a long tunnel, the soft golden glow nearly blinding them all after the incessant darkness.
Grinning in Ryo's direction, he grabbed his friend's shoulder and began to trot happily towards the golden light, pulling the other three Ronins in his wake. He was about to break into a full run when something surged up beneath his feet, throwing him to the wall. As the breath was knocked out of him as he crashed into the wall, falling into a surprised Kento who in turn dropped Rowen. Squinting at the creature in the dim light, Kento cried out in horror, backing away quickly.
Thick ridges covered yellow eyes tinged with green set deep in a heavily scaled maw lined with sharp fangs. Layers of ridges ran down the creature to the tip of its long tail, resulting in a creature nearly twenty feet in length. The serpentine form had only front legs but those were enough to thoroughly terrify the four conscious Ronins, each claw nearly a foot long. Heavy muscles rippled beneath the thick hide, the spikes and blades jutting out from the thick scales shifting slightly.
"Armor of Hardrock! Dao Gi!"
"NO!!!" The distinctly feminine scream resounded through the caves. Every one of the Ronins turned to regard the girl, her mouth still parted from the only word she had ever uttered. Cye blinked. He had felt her tap his mind enough times to realize that she hadn't this time. He had always thought that she couldn't speak. His eyes widened. What could unnerve her so horribly that she would break whatever language barrier impeded her to be able to utter that one word?
His answer was immediate. As Kento's armor appeared, a deep rumble began from every direction, growing louder as something approached them. These tunnels were huge for the most part and whatever was coming was hitting the sides of the thing as it ran. Cye looked up to the twenty foot ceiling above him and swallowed nervously, forgetting the serpentine creature before him. A figure launched itself over his head, careening into the scaled nightmare mere feet from him, blades flashing in blurred hands.
Cye watched as the girl tackled the abomination, ignoring the razor-like teeth that sank into her shoulder, some of which clearly passed through to protrude from the other side. The hideous claws slashed at her, tearing her left leg to the bone from hip to knee, blood pooling on the ground below the two combatants. Whipping her arms around completely oblivious to the gashes torn in her flesh as she shifted inside the beast's jaws, she decapitated the thing. Swaying unsteadily, she rounded on the Ronins.
Cye didn't resist as she grasped his mind. "Get out of here! Go to the light ahead and step through. It is a passage to your dimension created by the ancients as they died trying to pass through this place unnoticed. Go!"
Cye spun on the last word, sprinting towards the gateway with Kento and Ryo in tow, Sage sprinting behind them wildly with Rowen draped awkwardly across his shoulders. Reaching the golden light, Kento launched himself through immediately, hoping his disappearance would slow whatever was coming when it could no longer sense him. Cye tried to shove Ryo through after him, crying out as he bounced back from the opening of the gate, eyes wide. Cye slammed his fist into the thing experimentally, tears streaming down his face as he realized it was like the silver dome the girl had created to protect them on their breaks. Nothing from the Dynasty could pass through. Sage was too far behind to see their struggle with the gate, chunking Rowen through the gleaming portal without pausing. Cye caught his arm before he could leap across the gateway himself.
"We can't get by, Sage," Cye said slowly, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Rowen shouldn't have been able to either."
Sage looked at them uncertainly for a moment, thinking frantically. Spinning to Ryo, he slammed his fist into his friend's jaw, snagging his tattered shirt before he could slide to the ground. Lifting him roughly, he tossed him through the glowing light, grinning at Cye's incredulous expression.
"Sorry 'bout this," Sage muttered as he decked Cye. Cye fell back, head swimming. His last vision before he passed out was of the girl swaying gently in the center of the tunnel, hastily wrapping a strip of her cloak around her shredded leg. Something was heading down the tunnel towards her, covering the distance at an appalling speed, two heads straining forward on long sinuous necks as six legs ending in thick talons pushed it forward in it's breakneck lope. His vision winked out entirely as a golden light enveloped him, strong arms pulling him forcefully as an unseen force screamed in protest at his passage.
* * *
Kento and Sage watched the flickering golden light of the portal expectantly, waiting for the girl to appear. Every now and then, Sage bent down to check on Ryo and Cye, both still unconscious from the blows Sage had delivered. Rowen lay still on the pavement, breathing raggedly.
"She's coming, isn't she?" Kento whispered softly, voice trembling.
"I don't know," Sage murmured in response, nearing tears.
A groan caused them both to turn. Cye was staggering to his feet unsteadily, throwing glares at Sage and spitting curses that they were both grateful that they could not fully understand. Looking around, he scowled. The girl was not there. Striding purposefully towards the gateway, he ignored Sage's protests and Kento's grip on his arm. Spinning to knock Kento's feet out from under him, he sprinted towards the golden light, cursing loudly when he bounced off. Sea-blue flames enveloped the boy as he moved towards the portal again. Leaning forward and bracing himself, he unleashed a blast of energy whose backwash threatened to destroy everything in the surrounding area. The golden light in the center of the swirling mass shimmered unsteadily, shifting to a pale blue.
* * *
The girl had one of the two immense heads locked securely between her legs, her arms sunk firmly into the beast's neck. Her eyes widened as the head swung upwards viciously, slamming her lithe form into the stones of the ceiling. A cry escaped her lips as her left leg was jarred, the blood flow beginning anew.
A blue light shimmered in the tunnel behind her. Turning in horror she saw its source. Torrent was blasting through the portal in an attempt to reach her. Fool. What did he think he was doing? Lips peeling back in a sneer, she released a blast of her own towards the shining gateway. The momentary distraction earned her a slash down her ribs, breaking three on her right side and exposing all of them, the follow-through to the attack nearly disemboweling her. Silver flames met blue and the worlds on both side of the portal went white.
* * *
Cye looked at the nearly blue portal, smiling to himself as Kento tried unsuccessfully to approach him. He moved forward to step through the flickering light, ignoring his friends' protests. As he reached out to touch the gateway with one hand while maintaining the energy blast with the other, silver flames erupted from the other side, knocking Cye nearly thirty feet before he rolled to a stop.
Kento watched his friend as he was bowled off of his feet, tears welling in his eyes. He understood how Cye felt exactly. The girl had come to rescue them and was now being slaughtered in the last battle she waged to make sure they escaped. And it was his fault. If he hadn't called his armor…
Turning away from his fallen friend, he gripped his tetsubo firmly in his one good hand and walked to the portal, stepping through. The golden light felt eerie as it slid along his skin, still swirling madly from the effects of Cye's attempt to pass through forcefully. Emerging into the near total darkness, it took him a moment to focus his eyes on the battle raging before him. A black cloaked figure raced up the wall, flipping onto the back of the creature she faced, ducking to keep from being slammed into the twenty foot ceiling as the abomination bucked.
"Iron Rock Crusher!"
The sure-kill slammed into the chest of the two-headed monstrosity, thoroughly pissing it off.
* * *
Cye's blood-curdling scream had Sage by his side in an instant. He watched in horror as wounds began to open along the smaller boy slowly, deep lacerations sliding down his limbs and face. A single deep mark appeared on the top of his left arm, moving slowly down its length. Sage placed his hand in the way, eyes tearing as the trench in the younger boy's flesh merely passed below his bloodstained fingers. Unsure of what else to do, he healed his friend, holding his energies steady as more wounds appeared in the place of those he had just healed. If this didn't end soon, Cye was going to die from blood loss, healing or no.
Being so thoroughly engrossed in keeping the youngest Ronin alive, Sage didn't notice as Rowen pushed himself to his feet and moved towards him slowly, careful to stay out of his sight.
* * *
As the sure-kill slammed into the beast, the girl felt the ripples of the blast pass through the bellowing form beneath her. Ripping back the scales, she plunged her hand deep into the muscles of the beast's back, earning her an outraged roar. She clung to her unsteady perch as the monstrosity bucked, pinning her to the ceiling, a stalactite lancing her left arm from shoulder to elbow.
Her eyes widened as she saw Hardrock staring wide-eyed in her direction. Shit. What was he still doing here? Why hadn't he left when he had the chance? Launching herself free of the scaled back, she leapt in front of the heavy-set boy an instant before a plume of flames slammed into her back, curling around her shrieking form to pass harmlessly on either side of the horrified Ronin.
Grabbing the boy in her arms, she began to move doggedly forward, ignoring the pain as the flesh of her back melted away. Jumping for the gateway, she managed to shove the Warrior of Strength through as thick claws landed in her back, ripping deep trenches in her already abused form. Teeth snapped into what remained of her shredded left leg. Her scream echoed through both dimensions.
* * *
Kento rolled several feet on the other side of the portal before rolling to a stop. Standing unsteadily, he saw the girl. She was halfway through the gateway and was slowly sliding back in, despite her frantic clawing at the ground. He leaped forward, grabbing her hands in his own, digging his feet into the ground for traction. Her eyes widened and she cried out in agony. Kento nearly lost his grip when Cye's cries began to chase hers towards the heavens. Placing all of his strength into one remaining heave, he pulled the girl free of the portal, whimpering along with her when he saw the ruined remains of her legs and back, her eyes glazing she collapsed in his arms.
Spinning to get her to Sage, he stumbled over Ryo, bringing a groan from the stirring boy. He'd apologize later. Looking at Sage he nearly dropped the girl again. Sage and Rowen were rolling on the ground, each of the boys trying his hardest to pulverize the other into submission. Setting the girl down with a growl, he decided to end this, slamming his weight into both of them before pinning a cursing Rowen securely. Sage only glanced at the two of them before heading to the girl. He had heard her cries and remembered that she had not so much as whimpered when that creature that had appeared right before the gateway had mauled her leg and shoulder.
Reaching her prone form, he whimpered in sympathy. Her legs and back were in tatters, flesh hanging loosely from the bones if it was there at all. He gasped in recognition at the trench down the length of her left arm, a mirror image of the one on Cye's. Sending his healing energies through her, he glanced back to the youngest Ronin, watching as the wounds along his slight frame were healed. Swallowing nervously, he realized what that blast through the gateway must have done and wondered if it was intentional. The silver blast had altered slightly when it had collided with Cye's blue flames.
Moving back, he swayed on his feet, having lost a great deal of energy in healing Cye and now the girl. He shook his head, blond hair falling across one eye much to his irritation. He had seen the creature charging the girl as he pulled Cye through the gateway with him and thought it a miracle that she was still alive. Someone placed a hand on his shoulder, nearly making him wet himself before he turned to see that it wasn't Rowen. He nearly kicked himself. Rowen wouldn't have put a hand on his shoulder. He would have just slugged him.
Ryo withdrew his hand as Sage cringed. He should have known that he still unnerved the guys. He didn't exactly blame them either, not after what he did to Kento. He closed his eyes, unable to get the image of the impassible gateway out of his mind, the two-headed monstrosity charging down the tunnel towards them. His last vision had been of Sage's fist approaching his face. He sighed. Sage is still mad at me for what I did to Kento. I don't blame him. I wouldn't trust anything from the Dynasty either.
Correctly interpreting Ryo's expression, Sage opened his mouth to apologize for hitting him in the tunnels, choking on his words as Ryo turned to walk away. Ryo didn't get very far before falling flat on his face, a slender hand gripping his ankle relentlessly. Sage could only watch in a mixture of pity and wry humor as the girl tossed an extremely irked Ryo across her shoulders before moving to pull Cye to his feet. Picking up Rowen by his belt, she tossed him through the air in Kento's direction, grinning as they both toppled to the ground.
"I can walk! Put me down!" Ryo squawked indignantly.
"Suffer," Cye responded sleepily, not even looking in his direction.
"Have it your way," he muttered, craning his head to look at the girl out of the corner of one crimson eye. Spinning deftly across her shoulders, he twisted free of her grasp and slid his right arm between her legs, grabbing her right hand with his left. An astonished cry echoed through the empty streets as Ryo stood up, the girl draped across his shoulders. Sage winced when it became apparent that he was using the girl to hide himself from their pitying eyes. His worry was broken as the girl began to laugh hysterically, trembling slightly with her gasping breaths from atop Ryo.
"Have it your way, Wildfire, but take my advice that this is no way to pick up a girl," Cye's voice called loudly to the astonishment of the others. The girl thought that this was funny? They had all thought that she'd be furious at the precarious position.
Chuckling weakly to himself, Sage moved ahead to lead the weary group on the long trip back to Mia's house.
* * *
Upon arrival at Mia's house late that night, Ryo had immediately confiscated the girl's cloak, wrapping in tightly about himself as he raced upstairs to lock himself in his room. Before Mia could get a look at the guys or start asking questions, Cye pulled her into the kitchen, seating himself across the table from her. He began to explain what had happened simply, leaving out his eyes and what had happened to Ryo in the caves. Ryo could tell her when he was ready.
"You need to stay away from Rowen. Probably Ryo and me too. After what happened, I'm not sure we're safe to be around…" he trailed off, looking up at Mia with eyes too old for his age.
"You two better be cookin' in there," Kento called out loudly. A muscle in Mia's cheek twitched slightly.
"He didn't change any," she muttered, standing to move over to the fridge. Glancing over her shoulder at Cye, she paused. "There's more, isn't there. I need to know what's going on Cye. All of it."
Heaving out a breath, he looked at her imploring eyes. "Just remember that you asked," he murmured softly, motioning with one hand. The lights in the kitchen went out. Mia choked off a cry as she stared into the crimson eyes regarding her. Seeing her horror, he raised one hand, concentrating fiercely. A burning orb of blue light appeared just above his right hand, illuminating the room with a soft glow that sent eerie shadows chasing each other about the kitchen.
Trying not to sigh at Mia's reaction, he let the glowing blue light fade out and turned the lights back on. Motioning for her to sit back down, he added what he had left out before. "When I was in the pools, I opened my eyes while underwater. Whatever that stuff was, it blinded me and Sage wasn't able to do anything about it. The girl was able to restore my vision, but now my eyes are like hers, I guess. Ryo got it much worse…" he broke off as Mia surged to her feet, murder in her eyes.
"I'm gonna kill her," she hissed, moving for the door. Cye grabbed her as she passed him, calmly pushing her into a chair.
"She didn't do anything to Ryo. Something got him in the tunnels…" he trailed off for a moment as he considered the best way to tell her that Ryo wasn't exactly human anymore and was undoubtedly dangerous. He didn't have to say anything. Mia's expression told him that she understood that something was terribly wrong.
"And about the blue flames?" she whispered unsteadily.
"I'm not exactly sure. I think that it has something to do with my time in the pools, and if that's the case then Rowen can do it too."
Mia nodded numbly, standing once again to move over to the stove. Silently, Cye moved to help her cook as Kento's voice rang through the house once more.
* * *
Weary or not, the girl wasn't about to show any signs of weakness in front of the two Ronins regarding her carefully in the living room. Grabbing the third Ronin from where he lay senseless on the floor, she trotted upstairs to deposit him in his bed, tying him there after a moment of consideration. Trotting back into the hall, she was less than surprised when she found Ryo's door securely locked. Grinning, she went out to the balcony jutting from Sage's and Rowen's room, hopping over to cling to Ryo's window for a moment before slipping in gracefully.
She slunk towards him silently, preparing to scare the daylights out of the boy from where he sat of the edge of his bed. She paused when she noticed him trembling. Was he crying? Moving into his line of view, she waited for him to acknowledge her before moving any closer to him. He didn't look up from his hands folded in his lap.
Sighing, she moved to sit by him, placing one hand on his shoulder. She sent a small probing spark of energy through him. Her brows knotted in confusion. He still wasn't contagious. That was downright impossible. She knew that he was there mentally after something Sage did to him, something that she intended to find out in full detail soon, but he should have long since passed the stage where he could infect others. Curious, she sent another ripple through him, eyebrows shooting up to her hairline when his virtue kanji flared in response. His kanji? Was the strong life force, the unconquerable soul of a Ronin, what was protecting him? Perhaps the armor? She was about to check on her theory when Ryo looked up to her.
Her heart twisted when she saw the pain painting his expressions at what had happened to him, the guilt that he hadn't been able to help his friends and had even attacked one of them. Throat tightening, she slipped her arm fully around his shoulders and pulled him closer to her, trying vainly to quell his shaking. For a moment he remained limp in her arms before embracing her desperately, eyes watering as he buried his face in her shoulder.
He stayed in her arms like that for nearly an hour, trying unsuccessfully to convince himself that his friends would understand what had happened to him, that they would treat him like they always had. He couldn't stand the pity in their eyes, the fear that showed through when they looked at him.
He felt as though he had been abandoned when she pulled away from him, whimpering softly in protest. Her hands reached over to him, lifting his arms straight into the air. Confused but unwilling to do anything to upset the only person who wasn't acting strangely around him, he complied, eyes widening when she pulled his shirt over his head. Squirming uncomfortably, he reached for his shirt only to have her toss it to the other side of the room. With gentle hands she traced the heavy muscles that rippled beneath his skin where none had been before.
Ryo pulled away, glaring at her angrily. She was looking at him as though he were a lab experiment or a new species that needed to be examined. The curiosity in her eyes infuriated him. He opened his mouth to snap at her, only to have her grasp his head in both of her hands, peeling his lips back with her thumbs to examine his teeth. Almost bristling, he tried to pull away as she bent to examine his hands. A soft silver glow surrounded her as she looked up to him curiously, mouth parted as though she wanted to say something but didn't know the words.
He forced himself to relax, allowing her to thoroughly study him, crying out in protest as she deprived him of his jeans. She ran her hands experimentally up his legs, sending a soft flow of energy into his muscles, glancing up at his face for a moment. She chuckled softly. Ryo knew immediately why she was chuckling. He must have been as red as his yoroi. Before he could say anything, a massive pulse of energy shot through him, making him gasp through clenched teeth.
Grinning to herself, the girl hopped to her feet and disappeared by the same route she had entered, waving to him as she launched herself out of his window. Frowning at her disconcertedly, he choked on his own tongue as he caught a view of himself in his mirror. He ran quavering fingers uncertainly over a face that he had know since childhood, breaking into a grin when he realized what she had done. Dressing hurriedly, he darted downstairs to get a chance at the food before Kento got to it.
* * *
Mia, Cye, Kento, and Sage sat at the table silently. What could they possibly say to one another? Mia's jaw tightened every time she saw Kento's eye or what remained of his left hand, the two outermost fingers missing. It had taken her some time to bring herself to ask them what had happened to Ryo, face paling in horror when Sage broke down and told her. After having heard that, she was afraid to ask anything else.
The girl ambled happily into the room, plopping down at the table and securing herself a plate and a large quantity of food, actually out-eating Kento. There was a first. Shoveling away at the food cheerfully, she tapped Sage on the shoulder, pointing to his head and then upstairs. Sage blinked carefully, chewing his lower lip. Did she want to know about what was wrong with Rowen or what he did to Ryo? It was probably one of the two. Deciding on the latter, he opened his mouth to respond, blinking as Cye jumped up and grabbed the girl by the front of her shirt to slam her into the wall. He had obviously understood the question, maybe even heard it for all Sage knew.
"How the hell could you be asking something like that now?! You're the one who's responsible for this! You could have taken a different way out of the castle! You obviously got there some other way than by how you got us out, so why didn't you take us back the way you came! If you had been thinking at all…"
"She would have left your ass in the pools," Ryo finished for him, ignoring his friends' dumbfounded expressions. "She couldn't go out the way she had come in. The Dynasty gate crumbled behind us. She took us out the only way she knew how. If she had tried anything more than she had, she might have drawn attention to our escape, which is something we most definitely did not need." Still ignoring their astonishment completely, he grabbed a plate of food and plopped down in an empty seat, grinning at their incredulous expressions.
"How…" Sage began, trailing off uncertainly.
"The girl," he responded simply, stuffing too large of a bite into his mouth.
Cye blinked guiltily, lowering the girl to the floor and moving back to his seat. Sniffing disdainfully, she confiscated his dinner roll as punishment for his actions. Turning back to Sage, she waited patiently.
"Uh… it's not really something I can explain. I'll have to show you later. I can't really put words to what I did."
Nodding impatiently, she plucked the roll off Sage's plate as well. Kento regarded her carefully for a moment before moving his plate a little further from her, laying one arm protectively across the table in front of his meal. Raising an eyebrow at him, she tossed her knife in his direction, the blade planting itself into the table a hairsbreadth away from his arm. He squeaked, jerking his arm back. As he yanked his arm away, his roll disappeared as surely as Cye and Sage's had. Ryo lost his roll just for chuckling at her antics. Mia shook her head in resignation, staring at her thankfully empty plate, smiling in spite of herself.
* * *
After dinner, the girl all but kidnapped Sage, dragging him behind her with one hand while balancing a plate of food in her other. Sage's eyes widened when he realized what she was after. She wanted him to do the same thing to Rowen that he had done to Ryo. Having learned from Cye that Sage wasn't strong enough to do this on his own, she obviously intended to supply him with her energy while she watched what he did with it.
Rowen was already awake when they walked in, writhing in the bonds holding him, snarling at the two as the entered. He blinked at the food the girl held, obviously hungry enough to put up with anything as long as it meant that he got to eat something. Looking askance at Sage, she began to feed Rowen, grinning slightly at his indignant expression at being handled like a baby. To irritate him further, she purposely let some of the gravy dribble down his chin so that she could wipe it off, grinning triumphantly at his furious expression. Rowen choked when she looked at his tattered clothes and immediately found a clean set in the dresser, holding them up for his inspection, complete with a clean set of boxers. Sage only massaged his temples and sighed.
Sage moved over to the bed, kneeling beside his friend. The girl immediately dropped the clothes she had been taunting Rowen with and moved to stand behind him with her hands on his shoulders. A soft green glow enveloped all three, silvery flames flickering in and out of existence to create glittering swirls within the emerald light. He moved through Rowen's consciousness, looking for something that resembled his friend. A sudden flash of blackish blue filled his vision as Rowen began to fight back, growling softly at the two people in front of him. Silver flames shot into existence forcefully, suppressing the dark blue with a skilled grace that Sage didn't think he would ever be able to accomplish. Ignoring the two as they battled, he began again, surprised to find the girl's power still steadying him as he worked. After what seemed like an eternity, he found a distant corner in his friend's mind that was still him. Sectioning off everything else, he placed what almost appeared like a shield around everything that was not his friend's consciousness, and slowly awakened what was.
Rowen's eyes unglazed abruptly. He looked at the girl holding him to the bed, remembering suddenly how he had bucked. He relaxed completely in her grasp and was immediately rewarded by being unbound. He opened his mouth to apologize for everything he had done, blinking in surprise as Sage immediately spun to leave. He tried to call out an apology but choked for the second time in so many minutes as the girl once again held up a change of clothes and advanced slowly towards him. He flattened himself to the wall, his face reddening as he heard Sage chuckle as he walked out the door of their room. She wouldn't. Rowen's startled shriek echoed through the house as he found out quite quickly that she indeed would.
* * *
Kento slunk to the kitchen silently, eyes darting wildly. Opening the fridge as quietly as he could, he pulled out several types of meat and cheese, layering them thickly between two slabs of freshly baked break. Preparing to enjoy his midnight snack, he didn't see the shadow that appeared behind him, reaching slowly towards the unsuspecting Ronin. Kento blinked as his sandwich disappeared from his hands, jaws working silently. He spun around to confront the thief, growling as he saw the girl contentedly munching on one end of his sandwich. Snatching it back from her, he did his best to cram the entire thing into his mouth, ignoring her grin as he made sure that she could not get at his snack again. Chuckling to herself, she slipped back upstairs.
* * *
Sage blinked blearily as he felt a slight draft. He must have kicked off his blankets again. He, like the others, had not been sleeping as quietly as usual these past two weeks. They were all still recovering from what the Dynasty had done to them. Unable to fall asleep again, he draped a robe across his shoulders, ambling downstairs sleepily. He found Kento in the kitchen, mouth stuffed with what looked like the better part of a very large sandwich. Chuckling softly, he sat down at the table across from his friend, grinning widely.
"It's not going to vanish if you don't eat it in two seconds flat," he murmured.
Kento glared at him, swallowing hard. "It might with that girl around. She got about half of it before I could pry it out of her hands." Sage couldn't help but snicker. Ever since that first time raiding Kento's plate when he had moved to stop her, she had made a game of stealing his food, usually right out from under his nose. He was almost sorry that he had missed it.
"So why're you up?" Kento asked around a mouthful of sandwich.
Blinking sleepily, Sage frowned slightly, deep in thought. If he had kicked off his blankets, that would have accounted for being cold. But a draft? His eyes widened and he chuckled slightly.
"Because I think she's at it again." He didn't need to explain further.
"Shall we get the camera?" Kento suggested, grinning wickedly.
"Nah. If this is like any of the other times, we can get a picture in the morning. I'm not risking going into my room at the moment. Not after what happened last time."
Kento chuckled wryly. He remembered quite well what had happened the last time the girl had been interrupted from torturing Rowen. Sage hadn't been able to walk straight for three days.
"I didn't think it was that funny," Sage grumbled unhappily.
He looked up as a black cloaked figure trotted by him to settle onto the couch in the living room, ignoring both of them completely.
"Now lets get the camera," Sage said, grinning.
The two bolted upstairs and into Rowen and Sage's room. Grabbing the camera, they immediately scanned the ceiling. Not seeing their friend there, they frowned in disappointment, looking around the room for Rowen. Twice now they had found him on the ceiling. Once he had been taped there quite securely so that no amount of struggling could free him. Another time they had found him hanging from the center of the room by his ankles with his hands tied behind his back, completely naked. Spotting him still in the bed, Sage readied the camera. Kento tossed back the sheets a bit and jumped back a few feet, his grin fading as they didn't see anything wrong with him. He didn't appear to be glued to the sheets again, nor did he appear to be dressed in Mia's lingerie. Kento leaned over the bed precariously to get a better look at Rowen's backside, frowning outright when he didn't find the seat of his friend's pants cut out. That had been an interesting little adventure. No one had told him what the girl had done, that is no one told him until he was in the same room with Mia.
Looking at Sage and shrugging, the two wandered out of the room thoroughly disappointed. She hadn't done anything. What a gyp.
* * *
The next morning as Mia and all the Ronins, minus the nocturnal one, sat around the table, a shriek of agony echoed from upstairs. Kento and Sage glanced at each other, grins materializing on their faces in an instant. Sage grabbed the camera sitting next to his plate and the race upstairs began. The girl leapt over the stairs entirely, easily clearing the Ronins to land at the top, darting down the hall without waiting for the others. As the group piled into Rowen's room, peals of poorly contained laughter echoed down the halls.
"So that's where my hot wax went," Mia gasped, tears streaming from her eyes.
Rowen glared at her testily, not finding this funny in the slightest. Both of his legs, from ankle to groin, were covered in hot wax. He had obviously moved the end of one of the cooled strips, a patch of very red skin visible from beneath a loose section of wax. Ryo leaned on the doorway, laughing so hard that he could no longer force his lungs to draw breath. He had to duck as Rowen chunked a rather large book in his direction, the projectile missing him and hitting Kento in the head. Kento blinked, stunned for a moment before moving over to the side of Rowen's bed.
"Don't worry, buddy. We'll help you out," Kento said quite seriously, his eyes belying his comforting words. Rowen's eyes widened and he tried to move away, but it was too late to evade Kento's grip. The ripping of wax was drowned out by an ear-splitting howl that rang through the house. Many more followed.
* * *
The girl was still grinning about her last stunt as she trotted down the streets. She had rested for two whole weeks now, only breaking her blissful resting by tormenting Strata. Reaching the proper area in the city, she concentrated carefully, silvery flames flickering about her slender form delicately. A soft pulsing within the wall before her answered her call. She placed her hand on the rough bricks, the wall rippling outward from her fingers like the water from a still pond. Gold flames fought her silver for a moment as she concentrated. A golden portal appeared before her once again. A smile broke out on her face. Torrent had not destroyed the thing completely after all.
She stepped through, trotting down the blackness in absolute silence, looking for the markings in the dirt she had seen upon passing through nearly half a month ago. Tired of moving so slowly, she dropped to all fours and plunged through the darkness at a speed that few creatures in these tunnels could match. She wound through the maze at a breakneck speed, rounding corners so suddenly that she wouldn't be able to mount an attack if something was there. But at these speeds, nothing could attack her either.
Rounding one last corner she found what she had been seeking. Large paw prints in the dirt led down a small side tunnel, a trail of blood stained into the ground. A small resonance of the beast lingered in the air from long ago, but the blood was not his. Grinning, she followed the trail to a dead end, the stones above having caved in, closing off the end of what she knew to be a tunnel that would have ended in about a hundred paces. Pulling aside stones, she slipped into the narrow opening she had created, spotting a mass of heat in the far corner, glowing to her sensitive eyes.
Ambling over to the creature in the corner, she reached out to lift the beast to her back, nearly losing her fingers to snapping jaws. Jerking back, she tried again, approaching more cautiously this time. Nearing the creature, she proffered her hand, ready to leap back if it snapped again, humming softly to soothe the beast. This was too dangerous an area to raise a shield or form a light. He shifted slightly at the sound, leaning forward. She felt a soft movement of air as the beast snuffled her hand. Grinning triumphantly, she moved slowly to pet the massive head, feeling the silken fur under her fingers. This was an ancient beast, a servant to the mages long ago. She eyed the enormous beast appreciatively, imagining how massive it would be if it were not starved. Standing, it would pass her waist in height and she was far from short. Leaving her hand on the bony shoulder, she began walking slowly, the beast following her resignedly, utterly defeated. It nearly broke her heart to see such a great creature with this kind of surpassing intelligence in such pain.
Leading the way slowly down the tunnels, she approached the shining gateway after nearly three hours of walking, carrying the beast for the last two. He was hurt more severely than she had originally thought, and nearing starvation. He might have lasted another day or two at the best.
Shifting slightly under the weight across her shoulders, she stepped through the portal, careful not to drop the suddenly squirming beast. She didn't really blame him. He must be thoroughly terrified, alone in the dark, starving and surrounded by enemies, too weak to fight any longer. Stroking the fur comfortingly, she headed back to the house containing the Ronins, the massive beast draped across her shoulders as she loped smoothly down the deserted streets.
* * *
The house was in utter chaos as she approached, setting the beast down just inside as she looked at the frantic Ronins. She trotted over to where they looked prepared to pound anyone and everyone into unidentifiable masses of flesh, plopping into a chair in the center of the bickering Ronins.
"Where the hell have you been?!" Ryo exploded.
"We've been looking everywhere for you!" Sage added furiously.
"I haven't been. I couldn't care less," Rowen muttered testily.
"Where did you go?! Ever since we first saw you, you've never moved more than a few feet from any of us! Where the hell where you?!" Ryo all but shrieked.
Without even bothering with Cye to get an answer across, she pointed to the beast she had set just inside of the door when she entered, grinning at Ryo's unadulterated shock. His jaw worked soundlessly for a moment as he stood there stupidly.
"White Blaze!!" He called out, darting over to the half-starved tiger. The girl's head snapped around to regard him. He knew the thing? She had thought that he was merely horrified at the thought of bringing a tiger into the house. "Where did you find him?" he asked shakily, burying his face in the filthy fur of the unconscious tiger.
For an answer, she moved over to his line of vision and shifted her eyes to a shimmering crimson, ignoring the stinging of the lights to look at him for a moment with her glowing red eyes.
"The tunnels?" he breathed. "How did he get there?"
She could only shrug, for she honestly didn't know. The blood trail indicated that he had killed something and had been eating it to keep from starving from where he had holed himself up for protection. He had obviously been too afraid, or too battered from internal injuries, to venture into the tunnels to find something more to eat. She told as much to Cye, who relayed the message to the others shakily.
Rowen made a face, obviously feeling bad for snapping at her. She grinned at his expression, taking a half step in his direction, stopping with a chuckle as he hastily backed away.
A sudden growl caught everyone's attention. The tiger had awoken to the feeling of hands running through his fur and was now growling ferociously. Ryo hadn't moved back, but one glance at White Blaze made it perfectly clear to the girl that he should. Pulling him away and blatantly ignoring his glare in her direction, she regarded the tiger carefully. Cye darted off with a silent order ringing through his head, returning after a moment with as much meat as he had been able to find in the fridge. As he approached with the food, the tiger nearly went ballistic, surging to his feet and retreating rapidly. When Cye paused in confusion, Sage plucked the bowl out of his hand and moved forward slowly, eyeing the tiger with a great deal of respect for the massive claws. White Blaze made no objection to his approach but continued to eye Ryo and Cye with pure, blatant hatred. After only a second's debate, Rowen was added to his hit list, receiving a deafening roar.
The girl darted over to the tiger, laying her hands on his back soothingly. Silvery flames surrounded her. No injuries or problems were apparent other than starvation. Lips pursing, she raided the beast's mind, blinking at the images she received. Looking to Cye, she didn't remember to relay the message through him, seizing his mind again. Knowing the futility of resisting, he relaxed and hoped he didn't get another migraine from this.
"He's afraid of the three from the Dynasty as he sees it. He knows it's you, vaguely, but he doesn't understand why you three switched sides. He can't tell that you haven't…" Cye trailed off, his utter shock breaking the girl's contact with him.
"How can you tell?" Ryo's quavering voice barely reaching the girl's ears.
Turning to the tiger once more, she tried to tell him that it was all right, that the guys were on the same side they had always been. The massive head turned to her, his strangely intelligent eyes doubting the thoughts she sent him, doubting her every word and action. Eyes narrowing, she began a game of logic with the cat. If I am evil, why did I help you? She paused for a response, continuing as the tufted ears perked up slightly as he ate. Since you have agreed I am not evil, then why would I be around those who are? The complex thought stumped White Blaze for a moment, the shaggy head shaking in confusion. He couldn't figure that one out.
Still not convinced, the tiger send out waves of confusion and distrust, blinking as she offered to explain anything he wanted to know. My eyes, little brother? They are who I am, just as your claws are a part of you. White Blaze glanced at Rowen, turning to stare intently at the girl once more. No, he hasn't gone mad. He didn't do that to his legs. I did. At the baffled thoughts echoing from the great cat, she chuckled, transmitting her sense of humor across to the cat, the laughing of the Ronins. Blinking at the onslaught of thoughts flooding his mind, he began again. Ryo? Something in the tunnels did that to him. He was healed by Sage and myself. He is still the one you have always known. Nothing has changed, little one. Shocked at how he was addressed, he turned his attention to Cye and Rowen. Pools, brother. They were tortured by the Dynasty. What has been done to them is not their fault. What wrong have they done to deserve hatred from another? Snorting in vexation, he insisted on one more thing. The scars on the large one? She paused in horror. How could she explain this to him without losing the tiger's trust in Wildfire? He was attacked in the tunnels, she said, hoping that the tiger wouldn't detect the small lie.
Snorting disdainfully, he edged slowly over to Ryo, ears flattened to his head, growl firmly restrained deep in his throat. He began to tremble as he neared his master, the smell unhinging what was left of his sanity. He had been trapped in those infernal caves for longer that he could determine, and he recognized the smells from the tunnels quite well. He shook forcefully as a hand was placed on his shoulder, trying to hold himself together as Ryo led him outside to wash his matted fur.
* * *
The Ronins were so absorbed in White Blaze's return that they didn't notice the girl stagger upstairs where she collapsed in Rowen's bed, panting loudly. She shouldn't have been running around like that. The more she moved, the worse the poison tore at her. Despite Halo's abilities in healing, he wouldn't have noticed the poisons coursing through her veins. The last two beasts she had fought while saving the tiger were highly venomous, but even if Sage had noticed he wouldn't have been able to do anything. Talented though he was, he was not strong enough. She curled up into a ball, eyes glazing slightly. She recognized the type of venom in her veins, remembering how two others in her group had died of it while travelling the tunnels. Only her strength and stubbornness had kept her alive thus far. She cursed feebly. She knew better than to move after bitten, but her stubborn pride had kept her going, kept her from asking the boys for help. Vision dimming, she went limp across Strata's bed.
* * *
Tired of White Blaze growling at him, Rowen trudged upstairs intent on taking a nap without being disturbed by that black-cloaked menace. Turning into his room, he nearly had a seizure when he saw that the girl was already there, strewn across his bed.
"Get out of here," he cried in annoyance, prodding the girl with one finger when she didn't respond. Eyes narrowing in frustration, he pulled her onto the floor by one foot, one eyebrow rising slowly when she slid bonelessly to the floor. Ready to jump back if she tried to do anything to him, he placed two fingers on the side of her throat, blinking in shock as his fingers met clammy skin, the soft pulse irregular and slowing.
"Shit," he murmured, slipping his arms under her and bolting downstairs with the girl dangling from his arms.
* * *
Sage had been trying to convince White Blaze to hold still while they scrubbed him since Kento didn't have much luck in holding him down. Sage chuckled. Kento was firmly pinned under the cat, spluttering in the soapy water that splashed onto him when no one paused in scrubbing to get him out from under the great cat.
Rowen darted out of the house, sprinting towards them as they finished rinsing the soap off of White Blaze, nearly losing a leg as the unnerved tiger took a swipe at him. Ignoring him completely, he turned to Sage.
"Something's wrong with the girl," he cried out softly, grabbing his friend's arm and heading back to the house before Sage could even open his mouth to respond.
Laying his hands on the still form on the couch, Sage's eyes widened in horror. "Get Cye quickly," he panted, haunted eyes turning to the other Ronin. Rowen wasn't gone more than a few seconds before he returned with Cye speeding after him, sprinting to keep from being drug by the older boy. Sage was already surrounded by a soft emerald glow, the girl twitching slightly under his soothing hands. Without being told, Cye and Rowen placed their hands on Sage's shoulders, Cye crinkling up his face in concentration. Sea-blue flames surrounded the youngest Ronin, raw energy surging unchecked into Sage, increasing the emerald glow pulsing around his tense frame. Rowen blinked uncertainly, not sure what he was supposed to do. Trying to mimic Cye, all Rowen succeeded in doing was giving himself a headache. Cye's slender hand gripped his shoulder and he spasmed, sapphire flames shooting about him wildly until he remembered to send his energy to Sage. Sage nodded quickly, the green glow around him becoming blinding. The girl whimpered, softly at first, before her screams shook the rafters of the house.
* * *
Mia peeked into Sage and Rowen's room. Seeing Rowen sitting sleepily beside the bed, she couldn't help but grin. She had no idea what had brought this on, but Rowen insisted on being the one to care for the girl, placing her in his bed and watching her every possible moment. She didn't bother to ask him if she should watch the girl for a little while, knowing that he would only refuse again. Turning to head for the kitchen she couldn't help but wonder if this was his ploy to get on the girl's good side so she would stop torturing him or if he truly liked her. Mia's bet was on the former.
Gathering a bowl of food from the kitchen, she ducked into her room to check on White Blaze, the tiger refusing to stay anywhere near Ryo, Cye, or Rowen. He nuzzled her leg as she bent to pet the massive head, his whiskers tickling her bare skin. Leaving the room she looked for something to do. The house was always so quiet when the guys patrolled the empty city.
Hearing a noise downstairs, she went to greet the guys, not even wondering why they would be returning so early in the day. Turning to the living room, she froze, scream dying in her throat as a sword was pressed firmly to her neck. Kayura.
* * *
White Blaze jumped unsteadily to his feet, sensing that something was terribly wrong. He paused determinedly to get Rowen, still not trusting him but knowing that he needed the help. Blinking groggily, Rowen stumbled downstairs after the bony tiger, running one hand through his unruly blue hair.
* * *
Mia's eyes watered. The guys were out, White Blaze and the girl were injured, and Rowen could sleep through a hurricane.
"Where is she? Where is the girl?" Kayura hissed, pressing the sword tighter to her throat, drawing blood. She dropped Mia suddenly, spinning to slash out behind her, one sword grazing Rowen's chest to draw a thin line of blood. He cursed at himself. He didn't have his armor orb. Kayura took in his wrinkled shirt and blue jeans with one glance, grinning happily as she saw that he was utterly defenseless.
* * *
Cye placed one hand on his chest, frowning worriedly at the sensation that passed through his skin. It didn't hurt really, more like the half-forgotten memory of pain. Seeing the others looking at him strangely, he shrugged.
"It's nothing. Lets keep moving."
The others nodded uncertainly at the confused and slightly worried expression on the youngest Ronin's face. As they turned down another street, the group stopped, gaping. It looked exactly like the street they had just left. They turned again with the same results. Ryo scowled darkly.
"Dais! Come out of hiding, you coward!"
Dais appeared up ahead, hanging unconcernedly from a street lamp by his feet. He began to laugh as the four Ronins called their armor. "Do you really think that will help you, little Ronins?" he sneered, disappearing once again.
"Snake Fang Strike!"
The blast passed harmlessly around the Ronins as it rolled off of a glittering blue dome surrounding them, Cye leaning forward with his arms extended, panting heavily.
"Very impressive, Torrent. But can you block what you cannot see?" Cale taunted as the entire area around them went black. "SHIT!!!" he shrieked when two sets of glowing red eyes immediately pierced the darkness, staring at him intently.
"Super Wave Smasher!"
"Flare Up Now!"
Cale barely had time to get out of the way of the sure-kills before they obliterated him. What the hell happened to those two? Was it one of them who had torn out his throat? He swallowed nervously. If Sehkmet hadn't been there to heal him… He shook his head, not wanting to think of what would have happened.
Dais only blinked at their eyes, snapping out of his shock immediately. "What will you do, Ronins, missing one of your group and without your girl to protect you?" he called into the darkness encasing the Ronins, grinning maliciously.
A burst of blue flames lit the area, Cye standing in the middle of an inferno of turquoise flames. He lifted his yari to unleash his sure-kill, cutting off suddenly, gripping his right leg in horror and confusion. That hurt. He half expected to see blood after what the guys had told him happened after the tunnels, but the pain receded as quickly as it had come. His eyes widened.
"Rowen and the girl! They're fighting Kayura!"
"Why do you think that, Ronin? How do you know they're not already dead by her hand?" Sehkmet called.
"Thunder Bolt Cut!"
Sehkmet staggered, clutching the half-melted flesh of his right side scorched even through his armor, gasping against ribs that must be broken if not shattered. Spitting a curse at Sage that made even Kento choke from the vulgarity of it, he vanished in a swirl of black flames.
The two remaining Warlords and the four Ronins began unleashing their sure-kills at each other as quickly as was humanly possible, if not more so. Cye hissed angrily. This wasn't getting them anywhere. The other two weren't as stupid as Sehkmet and were unlikely to be hit any time soon. They were losing time. Rowen needed them and even if they stopped fighting now, it would take them over an hour to get back to the house.
Screaming in frustration, Cye drew the attention of the Ronins and Warlords alike, everyone thinking that the boy had been hit.
"Allayendis dienden. Kabadreis neda cumienden. Allameis cabadros a den ama. Andien!" Cye howled into the rising winds. "Exodus!" The other Ronins only gaped.
A whirlwind of turquoise flames surrounded him, the pavement below him becoming molten, cars and large sections of buildings flying through the air. Both of the Warlords were enveloped in flames, screaming as they disappeared. The flames around Cye died as he collapsed to the ground.
Back at the house, the girl sat upright in bed, eyes wide. "Exodus," she breathed, eyes widening as the aftershock of one of the forbidden spells rang across the dimension.
* * *
Rowen cried out in agony as Kayura lunged forward, impaling his right leg on one sword to flip him across the room into the wall. Mia could only watch in horror as Kayura approached him before his cry had even died in his throat, swing her swords in front of her again.
"Star Storm Scream!"
Rowen howled as the sure-kill rained down upon him and White Blaze, the tiger's scream chasing his in volume and pain. The sure-kill was abruptly cut off as a shock wave rippled past the house, followed by a blast of dark sapphire light raging wildly around a slender form. The wounds along Rowen's slender frame closed suddenly, dark blue smoke rising from the deep holes as they healed. He stood slowly, eyes burning with hatred.
"Ieyenden mieris!" he shrieked, bluish black flames enveloping Kayura's screaming form for an instant before she vanished in a flash of black light.
Staggering to a halt at the bottom of the stairs, the girl could only stare in shock as the second spell from her home to have been used today died out. How in the hell did they know the spells? They shouldn't even be able to pronounce these words, let alone know what they meant and what to do with them. She shook her head slowly at Rowen, wondering how he had uttered the spell for a fireball. Her eyes positively bulged as he bound Mia and White Blaze with cords of the power he was using and teleported them upstairs. She suddenly had a feeling that she should leave, get well out of his reach. She should have followed her instincts.
"Come Mieren," he called softly, making the hairs on the back of her neck rise. How did he know her name? Her original name at that? She had been avoiding anyone finding out who she was for a reason, purposely ignoring all of their questions about her past, her name especially. Admitting understanding of anything was bad enough, but if she began answering their questions… She couldn't do that. They'd inevitably get to the questions that she could not answer if she cared about her health. She was certain that they would not accept who she was if they knew the full truth about her past.
She regarded Rowen carefully, trying to determine what was wrong with him. Her eyes widened. He couldn't have. Checking him with a quick flash of energy, she cried out in horror. He had broken the shield holding the Dynasty taint in check. Lips pursing, she tackled him, pinning him to the ground after a moment, fumbling to put the shield back in place. The flare of deep blue light was all the warning she had.
She blinked slowly. Something was pinning her securely to the floor. Ignoring the sting from the light of the dark blue flames, she forced her eyes to focus, immediately wishing that she hadn't when she saw the cruel sneer on Rowen's face. She tired to lash out, eyes bulging when her mind slammed into a shield, her magical abilities blocked as surely as her innate. Rowen lifted her off the ground, brutally throwing her into the easy chair in front of the television. Before she could even think of moving, thick cords of energy lashed her down beyond any hope of movement. Her eyes nearly rolled from her head as he casually disintegrated her clothes and proceed to strip himself.
She tried to buck futilely as he ran one hand slowly up the inside of her thigh, a growl rising deep in her throat. Rowen slipped his arms behind her immobile form, pulling himself close and kissing her deeper than she would have thought possible. In frustration and fury, she bit him. Hard. Her eyes rolled back in her head as Rowen backhanded her with unbelievable force, calmly wiping the blood from his mouth.
Dizzy from the blow and unable to do anything, she waited patiently for either Rowen to snap out of it or for the others to return. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she regarded the boy atop of her, trying to ignore the stinging pain when he got carried away a few times and bit her.
* * *
Kento supported a halfway conscious Cye in the back seat as they sped down the streets back to Mia's house, setting a speed record in Mia's car. Cye bolted upright, gasping as a dark bruise appeared across his face, blackening his eye and spreading down to his jaw. Kento was about to say something when Cye looked at him with utter horror in his eyes.
"What is it?" Sage asked, noticing Cye's expression as well.
"Rowen," he whimpered. "He's lost it again. We need to get back. Now."
"We're going as fast as this car can go," Ryo said helplessly, looking back at Cye's darkening face.
Cye began to convulse, curling into a ball. Kento reached over to steady him, choking on what he had been about to say when teeth-marks appeared on Cye's cheek. Blood began to soak through his shirt as well. Pulling the thin fabric up to his friend's armpits, he stared in shock at the vicious bite-marks appearing on the younger boy's chest. Sage's eyes widened as he turned to exchange startled expressions with Kento.
"That must be some strange fight," Kento murmured.
Sage didn't bother to respond. Kento doesn't get it. The girl's already lost if this kind of thing is being inflicted on her. Instead of saying anything to the two in the back, he turned to Ryo. "We need to go faster."
* * *
Cye was the first one out of the car, bolting for the house. Jumping through the door, he rounded on Rowen. Unsurprisingly, the other three were right behind him, staring in abhorrence at the scene before them. Rowen looked up, sneering at them in a loathing at being interrupted.
A dark blue blast shot towards the four Ronins in the doorway. Cye threw up his hands, the blast curling to the side of the four boys. Cye returned fire, turquoise flames meeting shaded sapphire. The two began to circle one another, throwing shots and blasts of power that would have been lethal if any ever actually reached their targets.
Sage darted around the combatants, moving over to the bound girl, her green eyes seething. He fumbled with the bonds of energy holding her, wondering why she hadn't broken them on her own. As soon as she was free, she turned to him again, tapping her forehead lightly with two fingers. Without hesitating, he searched for another two shields holding her mind, shattering them after a few experimental slashes of energy.
She spun to face Rowen, eyes blazing with emerald fire. Silvery flames surrounded her in an instant, curling where the inferno of energy hit the ceiling. Her first blast pinned him to the wall, the second cracking him across the face hard enough to make his eyes roll back in his head. She motioned sharply. Sage and Cye darted over to her at her blatant command, knowing the drill. As they set their hands on her shoulders, they nearly collapsed as every bit of energy was tapped from their bodies and very souls. Emerald and turquoise lights formed above one hand for a moment, immediately being drowned out by the silver essence that was herself. Sage gaped at the amount of energy she drew from herself, realizing immediately where it came from. Needing more energy than he and Cye could provide, she had tied her life energy into the blast she was about to unleash. Before he could open his mouth to protest, she shot the energy at Rowen.
Rowen convulsed on the floor, the dark bluish black flames around him flickering to a lighter blue immediately before dying out. He stirred slightly, sapphire eyes glazed, pushing himself unsteadily to his feet and regarding the others blankly for a moment before his eyes turned to the girl as she collapsed on the floor.
"Mieren!" he cried out, darting past Cye and Sage to collect the girl in his arms and bolt upstairs. Cye's eyes tightened, tearing after the two before the others could even blink. All they found upstairs was Rowen sitting by his bed, oblivious to the fact that he was still quite nude, watching the girl intently from where he had tucked her under thick blankets he had obviously raided from Sage's bed. Cye moved to pound Rowen into oblivion, but Sage caught his shoulder, healing him quickly before moving to the bed to do the same for the girl, making absolutely sure that she was alright. He rolled his eyes at the look on Rowen's face, draping a sheet over his catatonic friend and healing him briefly before ushering a protesting Cye out of the room.
* * *
It hadn't taken long to figure out why Cye had been in such a fury. Because of his link with the girl, he had been quite aware of everything that had happened in the house. It took quite a bit of convincing to calm Cye enough to see reason.
"For the last time, Cye, that wasn't Rowen's fault. The Dynasty did something to him, or had you forgotten?" Ryo snapped, completely out of patience.
"All I remember is that Kayura had him beaten until some sort of shock wave passed through the house. Whatever that was, it caused Rowen to lose it again. It messed up whatever Sage did to him that first time."
Ryo blinked at that. If that was the case, why didn't it mess him up too? He was about to look askance at Mia to see if there was something else that might have caused it when Cye spoke up again.
"That's what did it all right. The Exodus spell is powerful. It has been forbidden since ancient times because of the devastation it caused. Only those at the center of the blast are not affected. You were obviously pretty close to him, Wildfire, or you would have been screwed as well. I honestly don't know how this idiot learned it."
Every head had long since turned to Cye. He blinked dizzily, the glazed look in his eyes slowly fading. His cheeks paled then reddened before he moved his gaze to his lap. "Sorry," he murmured.
* * *
The girl shifted her weight from one stair to the next, her balance nonexistent at the moment. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she let out the breath she had been holding and moved into the kitchen unnoticed by the guys. Mia saw her but remained quiet when she put a finger to her lips. Sliding along the ground to the table, she deftly snagged Kento's plate, slipping quickly under the table to claim a seat on the other side, grinning happily. Kento was too busy gaping to attempt to regain his food.
Ryo choked on his drink, coughing some of his juice through his nose, wheezing painfully. At any other time the guys would have made a few cracks at that, but right now they didn't even notice. Having lost all of her clothes, the girl had donned a pair of Rowen's boxers and his robe, which wouldn't have been so bad if she had remembered to tie the front of the thing shut. Raising an eyebrow at their expressions, she pulled the front of the robe closed, tying it swiftly with agile fingers. Reaching over to Cye, she took his forehead in one of her hands, a soft silvery glow enveloping them both for about a minute. Grinning, she snagged a knife from the table and shoved it through her hand.
Everyone at the table jumped as she did that, especially Cye. Mouth twitching with wry humor, she held up his corresponding hand for all to see. There was nothing wrong with it. Whatever link had existed between the two had been broken. Plucking the knife from her palm, she turned to Sage, who immediately healed her lest he suffer her wrath. He cringed at the very thought. He knew full well how creative she could get.
Grinning triumphantly, she polished off Kento's dinner, returning his empty plate and earning herself a scowl in the process. Getting up to replace the dinner he had just lost, he returned with two plates of food, smiling to himself. He'd get to eat this time, so help him. His smile vanished when he sat down and the girl confiscated both of his plates of food.
"That's not fair!" he cried out, wrestling with her to get at least one of the plates back to the amusement of the others at the table. Ryo broke the mood.
"Exactly what is the Exodus spell, Mieren?"
The girl jumped as though struck, abandoning both plates of food to Kento, eyes watering. She leapt to her feet, preparing to leave when Cye caught her hand.
"It's okay," he said softly. "You can tell us. We're all friends here. Nothing you say will change that."
She chewed her lip uncertainly, looking from him to the others. Shaking her head softly and pulling her hand free from Cye, she turned to leave, sprinting back up the stairs unsteadily.
"Why did you say that, Cye?" Sage asked slowly.
"I'm not entirely sure. All I know is that when Ryo asked her what he did, she looked as though she had just lost everyone she had ever cared about. You saw the expression on her face." He knew more, but didn't say anything. When she had first spoken through him, he had had visions, all of which he believed were the girl's memories. Some of the things she had done… He didn't understand any of her actions himself, yet at the same time he knew them all for necessities. What Ryo had said had obviously stirred painful memories of her past that she didn't want to face.
* * *
The girl staggered back into Rowen's room, collapsing on the bed in tears. How could they ask her anything? She had told them all that was safe to tell. Why wouldn't they just leave her be? And to address her by that name… She broke down crying anew, her sobs awakening Rowen.
Looking at her trembling form, Rowen winced, misinterpreting the reason she was crying. Rooting around for her clothes, he cringed again, remembering what he had done with them. He moved over to his dresser, digging through his junk until he came upon his pocketknife, setting the blade by the girl. She had been crying so hard that she had given herself the hiccups. She didn't look up when he sat down on the bed to get a better look at her betrayed expression. She didn't even seem to notice that he was there.
Pushing the pocketknife towards her until it brushed against her fingers, he sat waiting when she pulled back. Glancing at him and at the folded blade, she curled her fingers around the knife, eyes widening slightly as he tensed.
Why isn't she doing anything? Oh, God, how could I have done that to her? Dynasty or no, I shouldn't have done that. I should have fought harder. I'm sure I could have done… something. He paused in his contemplation, regarding her pained face again for a moment. I don't care what she does with that knife, as long as it makes her feel better. She can kill me for all I care.
The girl's eyes widened as she heard the thoughts raging through his mind. He was willing to die to make up for something that wasn't his fault? She snapped the blade open and held it to his throat. The muscles through his back became ridged, but he didn't move away. He was serious!
Snapping the blade shut, she tossed it onto the floor, placing one hand on his shoulder slowly, feeling him flinch slightly. She put her hand under his chin, forcing him to look at her.
"I'm sorry, Mieren," he whispered, eyes misting.
She flinched at her name. Rowen sighed at her reaction, shoulders slumping as he dropped his head again. She blinked slowly. They merely thought it was her name. They didn't recognize the significance behind it. They obviously didn't mean anything by it as had the others from her home who knew what it meant. The corners of her mouth twitched wryly. Let the others back home think what they would. The name given to her at birth was hers once more.
Rowen.
The thought in his head nearly made him just out of his skin. He looked at the girl with ever-widening eyes as he realized that the thought had a distinctly feminine cast to it. A slender hand moved under his chin once more, pulling him close. He nearly went catatonic as her lips closed over his. She discarded the robe draped loosely about her shoulders, slipping her arms around him. He was suddenly quite aware that he wasn't wearing anything more than a sheet, and a thin one at that. He wasn't wearing it for long.
* * *
Knowing that Rowen and Mieren were both in his room, Sage evicted himself to the couch that night. Even if Rowen was sleeping in the chair beside his bed, his own bed had no sheets, Rowen had seen to that. Curling up in a spare quilt, he crashed on the couch when they all decided to go to bed much later that night.
* * *
Rowen rolled over in his sleep, shifting to lie against the warmth in the bed. His mind spun groggily. That wasn't right. There shouldn't be anything warm in his bed. A slender arm slipped around his ribs and pulled him close. Rowen's eyes snapped open as he regarded the lithe girl lying next to him, body brushing against his for their entire lengths, her head tucked neatly under his chin. He tried not to tense, but his muscles didn't obey him in the slightest. How could I have done this again?
His slight shifting halfway roused the girl, causing her to sigh contentedly and pull him closer with surprising strength. Automatically, his arms slipped around her, tightening in response. He blinked at what he was doing. Looking down at the onyx hair spilling across his shoulder, he decided that she wasn't angry with him. How could she be? She started it this time, not me. Swallowing nervously, he looked up at the alarm clock, almost choking. It was nearly nine in the morning. The guys would be coming in soon to try to wake him up!
As he jerked in horror at the time, Mieren shifted, draping one leg across him. His cheeks began to burn as he realized that they were both still quite naked. He looked down to ask her to get dressed before one of the guys came in. As he craned his head and opened his mouth, she took the motion as an invitation and kissed him as thoroughly as he had ever been kissed. Rowen's eyes drifted shut contentedly and he relaxed in Mieren's arms. They both became occupied quite quickly, forgetting the time flashing on the alarm clock by the end of the bed.
* * *
Cye turned down the hall at the end of the stairs, grumbling to himself about the injustice of being the one to have to wake up Rowen. He remembered the bruises he had gotten the last time he had had to wake up his friend, before the girl had arrived. That thought brought a new scowl to his face as he remembered what Rowen had done to that girl, and indirectly to him. He opened the door to Rowen's room, freezing at the sight before him, jaw hanging slack. Rowen and the girl were… again.
Eyes blazing, he gathered his energies to blast Rowen into an unidentifiable mass of burnt flesh. He never got the chance. The girl looked up at him, scowling darkly before launching Rowen's alarm clock at his head. Taking the hint, he backed out into the hall, bumping into Sage.
"You still in one piece?" Sage asked, looking at Cye's incredulous expression.
"Sage," he began, pausing to look meaningfully at his friend. "Get the camera. I'll get the guys."
Sage only looked at him in shock for a moment before a disbelieving grin broke out on his face and he raced to Ryo's room to find the camera they had been hiding from Rowen. Cye darted downstairs.
Within a matter of seconds, all of the Ronins, with the notable exception of Rowen, were gathered outside the door to Sage and Rowen's room, grinning idiotically. Throwing the door open, they all peeked in, Sage snapping several pictures of Rowen's mortified expression, hooting merrily. Eyes darkening, Rowen began to tremble in a righteous fury, looking quite comical with his face matching Ryo's yoroi. Mieren's expression matched his perfectly. Blue and silver flames burst out around the two, sending the four boys in the door running for their lives.
"You are going to help me get them for that, right?" Rowen asked softly, looking at the girl still curled up contentedly in his arms. Her malicious smile answered for her.
TBC…
Evil computer still taunts me, but I'm working on it. Sooner or later it will have to cooperate or I'll reformat the stupid thing again. Show me you love me for my efforts against the evil machine. R&R.