A.N. Alright. Review! Want to know how? Well when you finish my story there is a button that says, "submit Review" PUSH IT!! .

NOTES!: I want to say thanks to my editor Najimara. Not only have I not been keeping up with her, but I've been too busy to answer her! GAH! Forgive me!!!! I've been sick so much. gomen ne minna..*sniffs*

CONTEST: Does anyone remember the cross? If so, review and I'll make an insertion fic for ya! Maybe even romance with your fav. Character!

The four remaining warriors traveled as an incomplete pack, their spirits mourning and calling for their lost comrades. Through the evil darkness they trekked, hopping for at least one sign to lead them!

Each of their senses were open, searching. if only. only.

Sage stopped dead in his tracks, his breathing harsh, and his eyes wide. The rest of them stopped too. Cye gently took Sage by the shoulders.

"Sage. tell us what's wrong.."

"I-It's Mia.. I sense it." his tone showed fear, and if you couldn't sense it there. you could see it in his eyes. Sage's eyes suddenly clouded over, and he fell into a heap as Cye's feet.

"SAGE!"

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He was in a dark room, in which little light shinned through. His peripheral vision failed him for a second, and his stomach did a nosedive. He hated the dark, and had never liked it.

He shivered as he surveyed the silent room as he walked around. He stopped dead in his tracks as his armored foot came in contact with something wet.

Did he dare look down?

Sage swallowed his fear and looked down.

Blood.

Sage immediately became alert of his surroundings.

He heard screaming.

He felt fear.

He saw blood.

He found Mia.

Huddled on the floor, and screaming like no tomorrow was the woman that had stolen his heart, the woman he cared for most.

And she was in pain.. So much pain.

"What it is. is as it seems.." A voice boomed, seemingly echoing around him.

"Who's there!? Answer!" his voice held fear. yet he tried to ignore it.

"Only when you look deep enough, you can you find the place in which your love lies." and then everything was gone.

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"Sage! Sage come on! Wake up!" a pair of violet eyes opened to the sunlight.

"What happened.?"

"You passed out." Cye said, his eyes red from crying. "We thought we were going to loose you.."

"I'll be fine."

"You were in deep." Kento commented quietly. Sage sat up, remembering what had happened.

"I know where they are!" he exclaimed.

"Where?"

"They've been so near.. All along.."

"Your speaking riddles!" Ryo yelled in irritation, patients not with him at that moment.

"They're in the dynasty! Talapa's castle."

"But we ki-" Kento interjected.

"I know, this is someone. no something new.."

"Lets get to the gateway," Ryo said urgently.

"Hai!"

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Cloud hung limp on the marble cross, looking at Mia who was sobbing, holding her arm. Her father. no. Don looked at her, then laughed. He tilted her chin towards him.

"Did that hurt you rat? Did it!?" he laughed and let go of her head, allowing it to hang there with a despondent expression.

"I wonder. how would you feel if I rapped her in front of you." Cloud's head snapped up.

"NO! NO!!!" she struggled violently, but stopped at her muscle tore. Don laughed.

"I see.. that sure wakened you." he chuckled.

"Please.. Please just tell me what you want and leave her alone."

"What do I want? What do I want!? HA! You fool! You of all people should know what I want."

"I don't, tell me."

"Beg me,"

"never!" Don seized Mia by her hair, and gave it a yank, getting a yelp in return.

"Beg!"

"I implore you.. tell me," she sugar coated every word, and wished more than anything to behead him. Don laughed and let Mia go, who in turn scooted away cowering. He laughed, taking her chin in his hand once more.

"What do I want? I want you to suffer, I want you to be in pain, and I want you to die!" Cloud spat on his boot, and he slapped her.

"Still hate me eh? Good!" he laughed and took out a dagger. "Say goodbye rat," he slashed through her side and Cloud screamed in pain.

"That's right! Cry out! Scream! Let me hear you scream you worthless child! You were a mistake! A MISTAKE!" Cloud let out an 'uh' sound as the air left her for Don had hit her in the stomach.

Don took out another dagger, and stabbed it through Cloud's shoulder, pinning her further to the dreaded cross. He laughed.

"and now I'm going to watch. watch you die!"

"C-Cloud." Mia murmured.

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They walked in silence.. Complete silence. It was so silent, you could hear a pin drop.

Their eyes had long since grown accustom to the darkness surrounding them as well.

But, this silence was not enough, and the lights snapped on.

"Ahhh. Ronin whelps, you finally joined us," a slithery voice said form the darkness. "I shall be your first opponent, come closer if you dare."

"We aren't fallin' for your schemes this time Dais!" Kento roared, his anger flashing dangerously. These battles with the warlords were becoming increasingly tiring, and he was just sick of Dais in particular.

"I came prepared for your falsehoods. show your self!" he motioned for the others to move on.

"I can take care of him."

"Thanks Kento," Cye said softly, leading the way forward. Kento nodded, and raised his weapon in defense as one of Dais's sharp daggers came careening at him. He deflected it easily with a spin of his Bo.

"Is that all?!" he added in a heart laugh as Dais made himself known.

"Its mono a mono Hardrock," he laughed.

"Agreed,"

And so the battle between Kento and Dais raged on, as they exchanged blow after blow with each other.

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"I hope Kento will be alright." Cye said quietly, casting another fretful look at the place where they had last seen their friend.

"he'll be fine.. he knows how to take care of himself," Sage said softly, trying to comfort the fretful youth. Suddenly, their path darkened, and two shadowy figures could be seen. The three teens stopped, putting their weapons up in defense, ready for anything.

"Torrent."

"Halo."

"Seckment.."

"Kale." the four growled at each other, eyes flashing.

"Ryo.. go." Sage uttered in a dark manage,

"Hai. We can handle this."

"Demo.."

"GO!"

"Hai!" Ryo went at full speed, leaving his companions. Seckment smiled and licked his blade.

"Lets finish this one, eh torrent?"

"Fine by me." Never before had Cye sounded this confident, this scary. His eyes were narrowed into slits.

"ask not when the bell tolls. for it tolls for you Seckment.." Cye taunted, giving the warlord a nasty grin that sent chills down the receiver's spine. Of course, Seckment made no move to show it, instead he readied himself, poison and all.

On the other side of the room, Kale and Sage were starring each other down as well. Neither one uttered a single word. they had no need to as they rushed each other! Blade for blade, and eyes to eye. The two swordsmen tested each other's willpower and strength. The battle was not only physical.. But mental as well.

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Ryo tried not to look back at his friends. For he knew if he did. he would go back and be putting them in an even worse situation. The guilt though was overwhelming. What if they died? What if he could have helped? It would be all his fault.

So many 'what ifs' were running through his head, too many to count, and too many to list. He relied on the hope that this would all be over soon, and that the fight with their archrivals would go smoothly.

"Wildfire!" Anubis landed in front of Ryo, stopping him in his tracks. He had been so busy thinking he hadn't even bothered to notice he had come to a chamber full of chains. no. not chains. Ropes of divine evil ready to tear him to pieces or crush his body into dust.

Ryo glared and stood his ground, glaring angrily as Anubis spoke.

"You shall not pass me Wildfire.. She will die!" the warlord started out with a deep chuckle, which soon turned into a mad rhetorical of laughter. Ryo glared and gripped his katanas.

"Out of the way.." Anubis stopped laughing in favor of chuckling sinisterly.

"Wildfire. you never learn.. for here I hold the strings!" immediately the chains encircled Ryo within their tight grip. He cried out as the air left him and his bones began to squeeze.

"Here I am God! And you are nothing!" The warlord was clearly going mad! Ryo squeezed his eyes shut and let out a soft 'gah' as his ribs began to creak, even with the powerful armor of Wildfire on him!

"Here I thought you were going to give me a good fight.. She dies for sure because of you. it's all your fault.."

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Don laughed. "Your precious love is being squeezed to death.." he brought up a picture in front of Cloud's half closed eyes.

"Its all your fault. you caused this. You can feel his pain.. can't you."

"I-It's not true."

"It is."

"liar!" Don brought the picture closer to cloud, and the chains she saw squeezed tighter, and Ryo let out a cry.

"See what you've done? Do you rat!!?? DO YOU!!??" he laughed at her stricken face.

"Does it hurt? Hurt to know this is all your fault? All your doing?" Cloud threw back her head, her tears flying.

"RYO!!!!!!!!"

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At that moment, Ryo didn't know what happened. It was as if something inside him snapped.. He became angry. Very angry. He began to fight back against the evil bounds that had entrapped him.

"You.you.."

"That's right! Be angry! I want you to be angry as you die!"

"You monster! How dare you. HOW DARE YOU!! YOU HEAR!!??" Ryo paused, a golden light mixed with flamed started to glow around him.

"W-what the hell.?" Ryo's binds broke in a flurry of snaps, and then disintegrated in the light.

"N-No." Anubis took an involuntary step back as Ryo began to walk towards him, face hidden by bangs.

"Who do you think you are..?" his voice was menacing, and it scared Anubis for the first time in his life.

"Do you think you can play god?! Tormenting her life, isn't it bad enough? WELL!!??"

"I-I."

"Did I say you could speak?!" Anubis stayed quiet as the glowing Ronin began to advance on him in a frightening manor.

"So many lives have been lost thanks to you.. I can no longer allow that to happen.

Ryo had the warlord in a corner, and he put his hands on wither side of Anubis, blocking him from any escape. He lifted up his head, starring into the warlord's eyes with his now golden eyes. They pierced the older man to his heart, sending the adrenaline pumping.

"I can't let you do it any longer Anubis."

"N-No!"

"as you say. quake with fear. go. to hell!!!! HEAT'S DESTRUCTION!" Fire shot form Ryo's palms, incinerating the man into a pile of ashes.

The golden Ronin picked up the pile.

"I have defeated you.. and.." he blew the ashes, "Scattered you into the wind." The glowing stop, and Ryo returned to himself, his eyes no longer golden, and his armor again red. In the distance he heard this..

"THUNDERBOLT CUT!"

"SUPER WAVE SMASHER!"

"IRON ROCK CRUSHER!!" Ryo smiled to himself, and headed foreword, knowing his friends would in deed catch up.."

TBC!!

A.N. I'm so sad. This is finally nearing it's end. Does any one WANT a sequel.? Please?