Chapter 13
The Maze
Lex held the torch up over his head as they all came down the steps.
This was looking way too easy, and this place was built by probably the richest and most intelligent company of all time.
And one could just wish they kept their big mouths shut, and Lex became one of them when he saw two paths.
"Great." he sighed frustrated.
"What's the matter, Lex? Scared of the dark?" Ruby teased.
Lex gave her a look. "Oh ha ha, very funny. But for your information, there happens to be two paths!"
"Then we go in the one that Zoot took." Ruby gave him a skeptical look.
"There are footprints towards both passages." Blade revealed as he was the last down the steps with Sabe.
Ruby flushed as she realized her mistake, and Lex's cocky look wasn't helping.
She stuck her tongue out at him.
"Hey now, don't tease me." Lex smirked. "There is something I'd like to do with that tongue."
"Will you two take a break on your little sexcapades and concentrate on the mission at hand?" Sabe called to them while beside Blade.
Lex rolled his eyes. "A guy just can't have some fun around here…." He paused as he heard a crunching sound of glass under his foot. He stepped back and saw a nearly crushed small crystal on the ground.
It was the size of a small rock, and Lex knew just what type of crystal it was.
He kneeled down and picked it up, examining the crystal himself.
Yes, this was definitely…
"What's wrong?" Ruby asked concerned.
Lex stood back up and looked to his companions. "Tai-San told me about these things. They're called Jina Gems. They're like…mystical compasses or something. If they glow, that means that your heading in the right direction. If the don't glow, then…you get the point."
Jina Gems. Blade looked to the tiny gem in Lex's hand.
What he knew, Lex was about to say, "But these are just a myth though. How could Zoot have gotten one?"
"Not one, Lex." Sabe spoke up and raised up yet another gem.
"Wait. I've heard this story from my grandfather back when he was in the war. When he was taken prisoner, his cell mate told him the story of Jina-Kazu, a demon sorcerer who invented these to escape the dark realm." Ruby explained. "But…Blade, what's going on?" All turned to the bounty hunter.
Blade sighed. None of this was making any sense now. Then again, there was a reason for Zoot returning from the…
His eyebrows furrowed down. He realized it all now.
"The gems were not created by a demon, I assure you all. But I do know who made them now. But it will have to wait till later." Blade turned to the two passages. "We'll have to split up. Ruby, you come with me. Lex, you're with Sabe."
"Whoa whoa!" Lex shouted. "Who exactly made you leader of this outfit?"
If only Lex could see the eyes of the warrior, he would cower in more fear than from the look he knew Cowboy Blade was giving him.
"Mind if I tag along?" came a male voice from behind.
They all looked to a tall and thin young boy around the age of 17 with a long-sleeve dark blue shirt, a brown leather vest, black pants, and black army boots. Red and black streaks were painted across his eyes from temple to temple of his brown haired head.
"Sieban?" Blade exclaimed.
Lex looked ready for a fight. "You following us, boy?"
Sieban chuckled. "No. I would have no intention of following a guy who has no sense of direction. But you," he looked up to Blade and smiled, "Long time no see, Old Horse."
Blade sneered at the mention of his nick name from Sieban.
The bounty hunter and the mysterious Sieban walked up to each other, arching up their forearms and clasping hands as if they were arm-wrestling.
"It's good to see the Fates are letting you live this far, Old Horse."
Blade moved his hand away. "I really hate that name."
After a brief pause, Sieban laughed.
"Uh, excuse me?" Ruby waved her hand in the air to get the bounty hunter's and Sieban's attention.
"Could you guys like put some light on the subject here?" she gave them a look.
"I…would be most honored, milady." Sieban kissed the back of her hand like a gentleman, and speaking with a seductive voice that it even seemed to attract both Ruby and Sabe.
"I am Sieban the Poet. The very best of poetry, knife-fighting, and knife-throwing." he took a bow.
"A poet?" Lex smirked. "What's a poet doing down here?"
"Well, I'm thinking we're here after the same goal." Sieban looked to Blade.
"Zoot." they both said.
"And you know why he's here." Blade crossed his arms.
Sieban shook his head. "No clue whatsoever. I'm only here to get revenge on the bastard. And…I knew somehow you would be coming as well. Call it a sense of a good friend's intentions."
Blade nodded. "Well then, change of plans. Sieban goes with Lex and Sabe to the right, Ruby and I will go left."
Sieban gave him a skeptical look. "Typical of you, Old Horse. Working alone as usual."
"I'm not going to be alone." he nodded to Ruby's direction, then looked to her. "Let's go."
She shook her head and headed off with him.
Sabe just watched them go.
"Well," Sieban put an arm around Sabe, "I guess that leaves just us…and the boy over there."
"Boy?!!" Lex exclaimed.
Sabe shrugged his arm off and walked on down the path Blade had given them.
"So it seems her heart is already set." Sieban smiled with his arms behind his back. "Just like I thought."
"What are you babbling about, Poet?" Lex glared at him as he walked on.
"I presume the true intentions of the heart are matters out of your hands, good sir." Sieban remarked as he walked after them.
"Blade? About this Sieban, do you…trust him?" Ruby asked.
The bounty hunter gave her a quick glance before looking back up. "I trust no one but myself."
Ok, so maybe that was coming, she thought.
"I mean, will everything be ok with him alone with Sabe and Lex?" Ruby asked.
"Sieban is a good person with a good heart. He doesn't believe in power and chaos or corruption for the matter. He's a protector of the peace, as well as a lady's man from his background." Blade explained. "He was telling the truth."
"Ah." Ruby nodded her head.
Blade came to a halt. She didn't notice until a few minutes when she turned to him.
Before she could speak, the ground beneath her gave away as she was falling into a rather large hole.
But a gloved hand had grabbed her wrist before she could fall any further.
With wide eyes full of panic, she found comfort when realizing that Blade had just saved her.
He pulled her back up to the ground with such strength.
"W-what just happened?" she asked still a bit shaky from her near fall.
"It appears Pandorax meant for no one to find this weapon. But if Zoot passed here, then it was his followers who've done this."
There was a sudden hissing noise from behind. Far behind. Both Blade and Ruby turned to see a strange wall of red beams.
"Run." Blade told her.
"What…?"
"Just run!" Blade grabbed her hand and lead her quickly down the path.
The first trap must have been a switch or an alarm possibly.
Blade stopped again with Ruby beside him as he noticed holes in the walls.
TOO many holes to be exact.
Blade carried Ruby in his arms, holding her close to him tightly.
"Wait! Blade what are you doing?!" Ruby cried.
"Hide your face and don't look!" Blade told her.
The bounty hunter looked back to see the wall of red beams coming at them.
….NOW!!….
Blade charged down the path, then started twisting and turning out of each arrow that came at his body.
The arrows were still flying, but those that touched the red beams were cut in half.
Ruby had seen this, and now knew why Blade was running from the beams.
The thought of being sliced into four pieces wouldn't leave her mind.
"Hey, uh Sabe?" Lex spoke up as he caught up beside the drifter.
"Yes, Lex?" she looked to him.
"Uh…I uh…just wanted to ask you something." He hesitated for a moment. "I don't want it to feel like I'm dragging my nose in where it doesn't belong."
"Could've fooled me." Sieban mumbled from behind.
"Will you shut up!" Lex hissed.
"I was only telling the truth." Sieban innocently shrugged.
"ANYWAYS," Lex looked back to Sabe, "Do you love Blade?" he asked.
Sabe was surprised by that. Were her feelings for the bounty hunter really that noticeable?
"I mean, you only have known us for like two days counting today now, but it always looks like you've known him for a lifetime from the way you look."
She looked up at Lex even more surprised to hear him say this. Even Sieban was cut off guard.
"Hey, I was married twice, remember? Tai-San was my truest love, and I always looked at her the way you look at Cowboy Blade."
"So that's why you and Ruby have problems." Sabe laughed.
"What?" Lex confusingly asked.
"You still are not over your Tai-San, and that's probably what's causing you to get close to Ruby, or any girl for that matter. You feel like your betraying her with another woman though technically you're not married anymore." Sabe told him.
Lex looked a way for a moment as everything she was saying sunk deep within.
Maybe she was right. No, she WAS right. Maybe Lex was putting on all the wrong moves and holding back to make it seem like he wanted just a fun-filled night with a woman.
Well, now he knew what to say to Ruby….
"Tai-San? Is she a shaman?" Sieban asked.
Lex and Sabe looked to over to him. "Something like that. Why?" Lex asked.
Sieban shook his head. "No reason. I just thought I…recognized the name." he lied.
But Lex and Sabe seemed to accept the answer and turn back around.
So this is the guy, Sieban thought sadly.
"But back to the question now. Sabe, do you love Blade?" Lex asked again.
Sabe sighed as she thought of how to answer.
Before she could, Sieban pointed out ahead of them.
"It would seem that we're here."
Up ahead were two Zootists guarding an entrance.
Cowboy Blade, the man-hunter and "Agent of Death" was more than fast for a average human.
He had to be going faster than a car, but so were those energy beams coming up from behind.
With Ruby still cradled in his arms, Blade had passed all sorts of deadly traps in this path from arrows to ditches to fire to a pool of lava to some more holes and then to pretty sharp spikes coming out of both the ceiling, the walls, and the ground.
But nothing could prepare the saloon owner for what was up ahead.
A huge ditch, probably long as the Grand Canyon itself, was just up ahead at the end of the passage.
That's when Blade started running faster.
"Oh my god…Blade don't do this! BlaaaAAADDEEE!!!" Ruby screamed as the bounty hunter leaped forward.
She closed her eyes, hoping her death would be quick.
But death didn't come for them today. All she felt was air even in his arms.
And then she nearly fell out of his arms when she felt him roll atop of ground then get back on his feet.
"You can open your eyes now. We're safe." he reassured her.
She hesitated for a few seconds, her body trembling from the fear within her.
"Ruby." he said her name.
No. It wasn't Blade. It was…Lex?
Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw Lex, Sabe, and the guy called Sieban looking at her in Blade's arms.
Sabe was look rather a bit jealous, and envious too that Ruby would be in the bounty hunter's arms.
Ruby let out a sigh of relief and got back to her feet.
The second she stepped on ground, she flung right into Blade's arms.
"Oh thank you!" she laughed. Then kissed him rather passionately, taking Blade by full surprise.
She then pulled away, and swatted him across his chest. "You big jerk! You could've gotten us killed! Don't you care about anyone but yourself?!"
For the first time ever, Blade was unable to speak back.
"If you are quiet done," Sieban the Poet spoke out rather loud, "We have made it just in time for the party."
He waved is hand to the unconscious Zootists guards.
Blade took a deep breath and exhaled as he stretched his arms and rolled is head back.
The time was now.
"Game time."
The Maze
Lex held the torch up over his head as they all came down the steps.
This was looking way too easy, and this place was built by probably the richest and most intelligent company of all time.
And one could just wish they kept their big mouths shut, and Lex became one of them when he saw two paths.
"Great." he sighed frustrated.
"What's the matter, Lex? Scared of the dark?" Ruby teased.
Lex gave her a look. "Oh ha ha, very funny. But for your information, there happens to be two paths!"
"Then we go in the one that Zoot took." Ruby gave him a skeptical look.
"There are footprints towards both passages." Blade revealed as he was the last down the steps with Sabe.
Ruby flushed as she realized her mistake, and Lex's cocky look wasn't helping.
She stuck her tongue out at him.
"Hey now, don't tease me." Lex smirked. "There is something I'd like to do with that tongue."
"Will you two take a break on your little sexcapades and concentrate on the mission at hand?" Sabe called to them while beside Blade.
Lex rolled his eyes. "A guy just can't have some fun around here…." He paused as he heard a crunching sound of glass under his foot. He stepped back and saw a nearly crushed small crystal on the ground.
It was the size of a small rock, and Lex knew just what type of crystal it was.
He kneeled down and picked it up, examining the crystal himself.
Yes, this was definitely…
"What's wrong?" Ruby asked concerned.
Lex stood back up and looked to his companions. "Tai-San told me about these things. They're called Jina Gems. They're like…mystical compasses or something. If they glow, that means that your heading in the right direction. If the don't glow, then…you get the point."
Jina Gems. Blade looked to the tiny gem in Lex's hand.
What he knew, Lex was about to say, "But these are just a myth though. How could Zoot have gotten one?"
"Not one, Lex." Sabe spoke up and raised up yet another gem.
"Wait. I've heard this story from my grandfather back when he was in the war. When he was taken prisoner, his cell mate told him the story of Jina-Kazu, a demon sorcerer who invented these to escape the dark realm." Ruby explained. "But…Blade, what's going on?" All turned to the bounty hunter.
Blade sighed. None of this was making any sense now. Then again, there was a reason for Zoot returning from the…
His eyebrows furrowed down. He realized it all now.
"The gems were not created by a demon, I assure you all. But I do know who made them now. But it will have to wait till later." Blade turned to the two passages. "We'll have to split up. Ruby, you come with me. Lex, you're with Sabe."
"Whoa whoa!" Lex shouted. "Who exactly made you leader of this outfit?"
If only Lex could see the eyes of the warrior, he would cower in more fear than from the look he knew Cowboy Blade was giving him.
"Mind if I tag along?" came a male voice from behind.
They all looked to a tall and thin young boy around the age of 17 with a long-sleeve dark blue shirt, a brown leather vest, black pants, and black army boots. Red and black streaks were painted across his eyes from temple to temple of his brown haired head.
"Sieban?" Blade exclaimed.
Lex looked ready for a fight. "You following us, boy?"
Sieban chuckled. "No. I would have no intention of following a guy who has no sense of direction. But you," he looked up to Blade and smiled, "Long time no see, Old Horse."
Blade sneered at the mention of his nick name from Sieban.
The bounty hunter and the mysterious Sieban walked up to each other, arching up their forearms and clasping hands as if they were arm-wrestling.
"It's good to see the Fates are letting you live this far, Old Horse."
Blade moved his hand away. "I really hate that name."
After a brief pause, Sieban laughed.
"Uh, excuse me?" Ruby waved her hand in the air to get the bounty hunter's and Sieban's attention.
"Could you guys like put some light on the subject here?" she gave them a look.
"I…would be most honored, milady." Sieban kissed the back of her hand like a gentleman, and speaking with a seductive voice that it even seemed to attract both Ruby and Sabe.
"I am Sieban the Poet. The very best of poetry, knife-fighting, and knife-throwing." he took a bow.
"A poet?" Lex smirked. "What's a poet doing down here?"
"Well, I'm thinking we're here after the same goal." Sieban looked to Blade.
"Zoot." they both said.
"And you know why he's here." Blade crossed his arms.
Sieban shook his head. "No clue whatsoever. I'm only here to get revenge on the bastard. And…I knew somehow you would be coming as well. Call it a sense of a good friend's intentions."
Blade nodded. "Well then, change of plans. Sieban goes with Lex and Sabe to the right, Ruby and I will go left."
Sieban gave him a skeptical look. "Typical of you, Old Horse. Working alone as usual."
"I'm not going to be alone." he nodded to Ruby's direction, then looked to her. "Let's go."
She shook her head and headed off with him.
Sabe just watched them go.
"Well," Sieban put an arm around Sabe, "I guess that leaves just us…and the boy over there."
"Boy?!!" Lex exclaimed.
Sabe shrugged his arm off and walked on down the path Blade had given them.
"So it seems her heart is already set." Sieban smiled with his arms behind his back. "Just like I thought."
"What are you babbling about, Poet?" Lex glared at him as he walked on.
"I presume the true intentions of the heart are matters out of your hands, good sir." Sieban remarked as he walked after them.
"Blade? About this Sieban, do you…trust him?" Ruby asked.
The bounty hunter gave her a quick glance before looking back up. "I trust no one but myself."
Ok, so maybe that was coming, she thought.
"I mean, will everything be ok with him alone with Sabe and Lex?" Ruby asked.
"Sieban is a good person with a good heart. He doesn't believe in power and chaos or corruption for the matter. He's a protector of the peace, as well as a lady's man from his background." Blade explained. "He was telling the truth."
"Ah." Ruby nodded her head.
Blade came to a halt. She didn't notice until a few minutes when she turned to him.
Before she could speak, the ground beneath her gave away as she was falling into a rather large hole.
But a gloved hand had grabbed her wrist before she could fall any further.
With wide eyes full of panic, she found comfort when realizing that Blade had just saved her.
He pulled her back up to the ground with such strength.
"W-what just happened?" she asked still a bit shaky from her near fall.
"It appears Pandorax meant for no one to find this weapon. But if Zoot passed here, then it was his followers who've done this."
There was a sudden hissing noise from behind. Far behind. Both Blade and Ruby turned to see a strange wall of red beams.
"Run." Blade told her.
"What…?"
"Just run!" Blade grabbed her hand and lead her quickly down the path.
The first trap must have been a switch or an alarm possibly.
Blade stopped again with Ruby beside him as he noticed holes in the walls.
TOO many holes to be exact.
Blade carried Ruby in his arms, holding her close to him tightly.
"Wait! Blade what are you doing?!" Ruby cried.
"Hide your face and don't look!" Blade told her.
The bounty hunter looked back to see the wall of red beams coming at them.
….NOW!!….
Blade charged down the path, then started twisting and turning out of each arrow that came at his body.
The arrows were still flying, but those that touched the red beams were cut in half.
Ruby had seen this, and now knew why Blade was running from the beams.
The thought of being sliced into four pieces wouldn't leave her mind.
"Hey, uh Sabe?" Lex spoke up as he caught up beside the drifter.
"Yes, Lex?" she looked to him.
"Uh…I uh…just wanted to ask you something." He hesitated for a moment. "I don't want it to feel like I'm dragging my nose in where it doesn't belong."
"Could've fooled me." Sieban mumbled from behind.
"Will you shut up!" Lex hissed.
"I was only telling the truth." Sieban innocently shrugged.
"ANYWAYS," Lex looked back to Sabe, "Do you love Blade?" he asked.
Sabe was surprised by that. Were her feelings for the bounty hunter really that noticeable?
"I mean, you only have known us for like two days counting today now, but it always looks like you've known him for a lifetime from the way you look."
She looked up at Lex even more surprised to hear him say this. Even Sieban was cut off guard.
"Hey, I was married twice, remember? Tai-San was my truest love, and I always looked at her the way you look at Cowboy Blade."
"So that's why you and Ruby have problems." Sabe laughed.
"What?" Lex confusingly asked.
"You still are not over your Tai-San, and that's probably what's causing you to get close to Ruby, or any girl for that matter. You feel like your betraying her with another woman though technically you're not married anymore." Sabe told him.
Lex looked a way for a moment as everything she was saying sunk deep within.
Maybe she was right. No, she WAS right. Maybe Lex was putting on all the wrong moves and holding back to make it seem like he wanted just a fun-filled night with a woman.
Well, now he knew what to say to Ruby….
"Tai-San? Is she a shaman?" Sieban asked.
Lex and Sabe looked to over to him. "Something like that. Why?" Lex asked.
Sieban shook his head. "No reason. I just thought I…recognized the name." he lied.
But Lex and Sabe seemed to accept the answer and turn back around.
So this is the guy, Sieban thought sadly.
"But back to the question now. Sabe, do you love Blade?" Lex asked again.
Sabe sighed as she thought of how to answer.
Before she could, Sieban pointed out ahead of them.
"It would seem that we're here."
Up ahead were two Zootists guarding an entrance.
Cowboy Blade, the man-hunter and "Agent of Death" was more than fast for a average human.
He had to be going faster than a car, but so were those energy beams coming up from behind.
With Ruby still cradled in his arms, Blade had passed all sorts of deadly traps in this path from arrows to ditches to fire to a pool of lava to some more holes and then to pretty sharp spikes coming out of both the ceiling, the walls, and the ground.
But nothing could prepare the saloon owner for what was up ahead.
A huge ditch, probably long as the Grand Canyon itself, was just up ahead at the end of the passage.
That's when Blade started running faster.
"Oh my god…Blade don't do this! BlaaaAAADDEEE!!!" Ruby screamed as the bounty hunter leaped forward.
She closed her eyes, hoping her death would be quick.
But death didn't come for them today. All she felt was air even in his arms.
And then she nearly fell out of his arms when she felt him roll atop of ground then get back on his feet.
"You can open your eyes now. We're safe." he reassured her.
She hesitated for a few seconds, her body trembling from the fear within her.
"Ruby." he said her name.
No. It wasn't Blade. It was…Lex?
Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw Lex, Sabe, and the guy called Sieban looking at her in Blade's arms.
Sabe was look rather a bit jealous, and envious too that Ruby would be in the bounty hunter's arms.
Ruby let out a sigh of relief and got back to her feet.
The second she stepped on ground, she flung right into Blade's arms.
"Oh thank you!" she laughed. Then kissed him rather passionately, taking Blade by full surprise.
She then pulled away, and swatted him across his chest. "You big jerk! You could've gotten us killed! Don't you care about anyone but yourself?!"
For the first time ever, Blade was unable to speak back.
"If you are quiet done," Sieban the Poet spoke out rather loud, "We have made it just in time for the party."
He waved is hand to the unconscious Zootists guards.
Blade took a deep breath and exhaled as he stretched his arms and rolled is head back.
The time was now.
"Game time."