ShadowDancer and SunSinger
Chapter 11
Rocky Oberlin

Disclaimer: I don't own Ronin Warriors or the idea of ShadowDancer
and SunSinger. They belong to Bandi and Mercedes Lackey respectively.

The four head warriors of the Nether Realm winced in unison as their "beloved" leader roared his fury. They inwardly winced as Tulpa turned his attention on them. Cale wondered how he was going to get himself out of this mess heading his way.

"How did you not know that Mia was a traitor?" Tulpa thundered. "How could you not know that she can control the shadows better then you, Cale?"

"She kept them hidden from me, Master," Cale lied through his teeth. "I thought that she was a gifted Shadow Master."

"Obviously you were wrong," snarled the Nether Realm tyrant. "Otherwise you would have known that she is a ShadowDancer and a threat to me."

On the sidelines Kayura watched with anticipation. Now was the coming of the dream she had for years. Now she would be placed above the four fools who catered to the useless Mia. Now she would be in control of all the armies and even them.

"I give you one last chance. Capture the ShadowDancer and the SunSinger. I want them kept separate so they won't kill each other." The tone in Tulpa's voice turned to a sneer. "I want that pleasure to myself."

Lady Kayura was a well-trained soldier. She didn't fly into a rage until after she was out of her Master's presence. When she as safely in the corridor, she let her temper fly as she was unable to in her Master's presence. "I was supposed to get that brat! I was supposed to take over the command of the armies! Not get set to the side while the four clowns are allowed to get that little traitor! Why?! Why was I passed up?"

"Calm yourself, little girl," snorted a voice. Cale stepped from the shadows and watched Lady Kayura turn a murderous gaze to him. "I'm sure you'll get another chance just like the rest of us."

"That's all well and good, coming from the traitor's own brother. We'll see who will come out on top and I bet that you will be taking orders from me real soon," Lady Kayura all but spat at the Shadow Master before turning on her heel and leaving.

Cale just watched her go then turned to his hidden friends. "Well, what do you think?"

Seckmet stepped out of the illusion spun around him as he pondered the question. "I don't think that there is any saving her. If this were an earlier time, then there would be a chance, but not now. The Kayura we knew when she was growing up with Mia is gone. This one is possessed with power. I don't think there is any way of turning her back."

Anubis nodded in agreement. "I think that Seckmet is right. Her power is too twisted to even think about bringing her back. She is everything that the blue-haired HeavenSinger isn't. She loves the death of stars, while he loves their light and song."

"I wish there had been some way we could have saved her too," sighed Cale.

"There wasn't," negated Dais. "We had a hard time trying to keep Tulpa away from Mia let alone trying to keep him from a Singer and Dancer and protect ourselves from him. We all would have lost and Mia wouldn't be alive."

"It's still a bitter brew to swallow though," said Seckmet. "I wish there had been a way of keeping her from becoming the monster that she is."

"Unfortunately there wasn't," sighed Anubis. He looked down the corridor that Lady Kayura had stomped down. "We should leave before someone else comes our way. We still have plans to make."

The four departed for their rooms to plan their own treason away from the prying ears of soldiers loyal to Tulpa. Little did they know that they had barely escaped detection of their own treason when Daala came down another hallway to the corridor they had been talking. The simpler soldier hadn't an inkling of the discussion that floated in the air before his arrival.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sage watched from his spot next to Ryo as Cye took care of Mia. His attention was diverted from his Mia-watching when Ryo started to stitch a particularly deep cut from one of the spirit soldiers. He gave a small glare at the dark haired boy, but Ryo just ignored the attempted death threat to his person and kept on sewing. Kento stayed in his little corner while Rowen took care of some of his injuries. Everyone got to hear Cye praise and scold Mia while he worked.

"I can't believe that you were able to hold up against that witch. But you should have asked for help sooner. You could have been killed and then where would Sa- we be?"

"Be careful of what you say, Cye," warned Rowen. "We wouldn't want to force someone's hand, would we?" The tone was joking, but the topic was serious. Everyone in the room knew what Cye was talking about, but no one had admitted anything, leaving the whole scene in an uncomfortable silence.

Sage tried to break that silence. "You said that they would be seeing us again? How do you know?"

Mia kept her eyes on Cye as he stitched up the gash on her leg. "Kayura will be going to Tulpa with my defection. He will be furious and will order someone to bring me back so he won't fall prey to the prophecy."

"How do you know that they won't bring you back to Tulpa?" asked Kento.

"Because they were planning to overthrow him before I could even get the shadows to answer my bidding. They will plan and act and seem to betray us at some point, but they will be doing it just to remove a monster and a tyrant. I would be careful of any others though. They are the ones to watch for."

"I'm glad you trust us so much, little sister."

Mia looked in a shadowy corner and squealed happily. She would have raced to the speaker, but Cye pushed her gently down to finish his stitching. The speaker decided to go to Mia instead, leaving the protection of the shadows to show her older brother.

"How are you doing little shadow?"

"Better now. Are you still safe? I know that Kayura went straight to Tulpa about my treason and about the SunSinger."

Cale smiled sourly. "Oh, yes. She did. The little tattletale told all about you fighting with the five Singer and Dancers that are keeping him from dominating this area. We were on the receiving end of his temper."

"Bad?"

"Very. He wants you and the SunSinger brought to him, but not together. He wants to kill you himself and not let the curse do it for him. It might be a good idea to lay low for a while little sister. If Tulpa even gets a hint of your power, he will come in force to find you."

"So what do we do in the meantime if he sends another attack on the village? Sit here and watch as people's lives are destroyed?" Kento spat.

"I said for my sister to lay low. I didn't say anything about you four. The SunSinger might want to stay in the same position as Mia though. Again, Tulpa wants your head for the threat that you possess against him."

"I will not let my friends fight while I hide. I will fight with them," refused Sage.

"Then do it without using your power," said Cale. "Using your power will only give Tulpa a lead to follow right to you and your friends. He won't be as interested in the others as he will be in you or Mia. If anything, think of the village and your friends. Not using your power now will save them from trying to protect you from a premature attack against you. Kayura wants revenge and she will disobey Tulpa to get it and you sending signals as to where you are will draw her here faster."

"That is good advice," agreed Ryo. "Why do you think that we've had so many visitors here recently?"

"He's right, Sage," said Mia. "If I hadn't come around, then you wouldn't have had the extra soldiers coming. Tulpa would have gotten here one day, but not now."

"I'm glad you did come. I don't blame you for what Tulpa is doing, but I'm not going to stand by while he ruins other lives while we wait for the right time to stop him for good."

"I would suggest that you wait for me and my brothers before you start making plans to invade the Nether Realm, SunSinger," said Cale. "You will need all the help you can get and we want our home back."

"How did you know that we were going to try for the Nether Realm?" asked Rowen.

Cale looked at the HeavenSinger. He noted how different the blue haired scholar was against Lady Kayura; they were almost like Mia and the SunSinger. "Anyone who wants to stop Tulpa will have to come to the Nether Realm. You don't like him attacking anyone and will do anything to stop him. We want the Nether Realm back the way it used to be before Tulpa's reign ever started. It would do well for us to work together."

"When will you be ready?" asked Sage.

"We will let you know," promised Cale. "Until then, you and Mia keep your heads down and fight like regular mortals. If Tulpa finds you before any of us are ready, then it may be a lost cause."

"Then we will wait," said Ryo.

"But if we get a chance to attack Tulpa, then we are taking it," added Kento. "We've lived with him threatening us and our loved ones too."

Cale bowed to the caution. "If you do, then send us a message. Mia can get one of the shadows to bring it to me if necessary."

"You have our word," said Sage.

Cale looked at the other four and saw the determination in each face. They would do as they say and he and his brothers will have to be ready or catch up. "Then it is agreed. You will hear from us again soon. It might be that we will be moving in with you if we are discovered."

"Great, more 'friendly' help," muttered Kento. Sage gave him a look that quieted him.

"We look forward to the message. I hope that we will be able to stop Tulpa before he knows that you are in league with his enemies."

"We all do, SunSinger. We all do." Cale slipped into the shadows and went back to the small Gate he had standing for him.

"Well, that was interesting," said Cye.

"Yeah, we get possible friends or enemies that know us too well," grumbled Kento.

"My brothers wouldn't betray you to Tulpa," shouted Mia. "We know what he did to the Nether Realm and were told of what it looked like before Tulpa even started his reign of terror. They want Tulpa gone as much as we do. Have some faith in them!"

"It's not that we don't trust them, Mia, but we-" started Cye.

"We don't trust them," stated Kento. "The other might think that they will help us, but I don't think that we can depend on them."

Kento's statement infuriated Mia. Around her the shadows danced and flickered; raw energy made her hair dance around her as she looked at the least trusting Singer. "If you don't trust them, then why will you fight next to them? You don't think you can depend on them to help after all."

"Because my friends will be fighting next to them. I don't want to loose my friends because they put too much trust in your 'brothers'."

Rowen and Cye were going to stop Kento from doing anymore harm, but Mia beat them to the punch. Literally. She flew from her seat and landed a right hook across his jaw that knocked him back from his seat. "If you don't trust them, then you don't trust me," she spat.

The other four Singers and Dancers watched as she swept past them to go down the steps to her room. They could read the anger in the way she carried her body even though she didn't stomp down the stairs or slam the door shut.

"Nice going, Kento," said Ryo. "You just made our chance at defeating Tulpa mad."

"Mad would be and understatement, Ryo," said Rowen. "He seriously POed her."

"You should learn to not look a gift horse in the mouth more often, Kento," said Cye.

Kento looked at his friends and then at Sage. Sage didn't say anything, but gave him a disappointed look. That said more then words how Sage felt about the whole scene. Kento felt the first stirrings of remorse, but he was also a stubborn man. He was going to keep his friends safe even if it angered them as much as it angered the ShadowDancer. He wasn't going to loose them.