Chapter 10

Cye heard the tea kettle whistling and hurried to lift it off the stove. He poured the hot water into six tea cups with different flavored tea bags in each one. He smiled at the breakfast he had set out. He loved to cook, and the only thing he loved more than that was to watch people enjoying his food. Kento was down first of course, his nose woke him before his alarm did. "Alright Cye!" Kento grabbed a plate and began to pile on the food, "KENTO! Save some for everyone else!"
"Geez Cye!" Kento groaned, he stopped his pile and plopped down to eat. Ryo came down the stairs rather slowly, he was not dressed for school. He wore his pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, the stiffness of his movements was noticeable. He winced as he sat, "Morning Ryo," Cye greeted him, Ryo smiled at him and began to fill his plate, "God, I'm tired.. And I don't even want to think about all the work we're gonna be doing tonight."
"Yeah..." Kento sighed, he looked to Ryo and Cye, "What Sage and Rowen told us last night, doesn't it scare you a little? To know that all those little things we used to be afraid of when we were kids were real, we all had gifts that we lost in the process of growing up. It's almost like being robbed."
"But how Sage described it, I'm grateful that I was," Ryo said, "and I hate myself for yelling at him. He was so afraid to tell us, afraid of how we were going to react."
Kento nodded sadly, "But at least Rowen got him to come clean with us... What do you guys think about him, ya know... casting that spell, with the cats?"
Cye and Ryo shuddered, "He was desperate... Did you see his wrist?"
Kento shook his head.
Cye nodded, "A year ago, after our first meeting with Tulpa. I was looking at a scrape on his arm and I saw it... I just kinda traced it with my finger and looked at him. He snatched his arm back and didn't say anything about it."
Mia came into the kitchen, "Smells wonderful Cye." She grabbed a cup of tea and removed the tea bag, "I might not be home til late tonight guys. All of last night's information raised up some serious research ideas. I wish that Shivoni witch was still in town.. I think Grandfather knew her. I'll have to check his files as well...I have to get an early start so I'll be off now, Ryo if you set foot out of this house today I will hunt you down... You are to stay in and check up on Sage every once in a while... if he is to set foot out of this house today, I will hunt you down..."
Ryo's eyes widened, "What? But Mia..."
"Bye, have good days at school Cye and Kento, Ryo take care, and make sure Sage is drinking all of his liquids and taking his medicine, I set them all out and labeled what they are, and when they are to be administered." With that Mia walked out the door.
"Hello Nurse!" Kento remarked to Ryo whistling, "Mia wants you!"
"No, she wants to kill me," Ryo said removing the tea bag from his cup and drinking his tea. Rowen came down the stairs followed by Sage. Rowen was dressed for school, Sage was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, he looked ready to go somewhere.
"Oh no, no..." Ryo was standing up with a grunt.
"Mia's gonna kill Ryo..." Kento uttered under his breath with a laugh.
"Where are you all dressed up to go?" Ryo asked Sage looking him up and down. Sage was dressed rather casually, Sage rarely ever dressed casual.
"I'm gonna go see if I can catch Sylvia this morning before school," Sage said lightly, "She may want a ride, and I can tell her that I'm sick and won't be at school..."
"Why don't you call her, cause you are not going anywhere," Ryo said.
"Huh?"
"Doctor Mia said no outdoor activities for you today, buddy, sorry," Ryo said.
"Oh.. But I'm just gonna be 30 minutes," Sage was trying to win Ryo over by looking pitiful.
"I'm not getting killed so you can go make goo-goo eyes at Sylvia," Ryo said simply.
"Dammit, that look always wins Mom over," Sage was muttering to himself.
"Why don't you sit down and have some breakfast?" Cye suggested instead. Sage glanced at the full table and paled, "No thanks." He did sit down at the table beside Kento.
Kento patted his shoulder affectionately, "Upset stomach?"
Sage nodded, he took the cup of tea in front of him and removed the tea bag.
"You want us to give some kind of message to Sylvia for ya?" Kento asked. He was really trying to be helpful.
Sage shrugged, "Just tell her I tried, hope she won't be mad. I think I was supposed to take her to the mall..." He scratched his head trying to remember what their plans had been.
"I swear you are her chauffeur and her wallet," Cye rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, I mean are the make-outs really that good?" Kento asked looking envious.
Sage nodded quickly, so quickly he grabbed his head in pain, "She's great..."
"Guys, we had better get to school if we're gonna go," Rowen was saying, he sighed and looked over to Sage and Ryo, neither one of them looking very healthy, "You two will be alright here by yourselves?"
Ryo nodded, "We'll be fine."
"Lets walk the guys outside," Sage said quickly about to stand, but Ryo grabbed his arm, "Not so fast Blondie! See you guys later!"

Babysitting for Sage was not an easy job. The guy just was not used to being sick and being still. He was up cleaning his and Rowen's room. He wanted to go outside and meditate, he wanted to practice his kendo. Ryo wanted to kill him. Dead people don't move much, or talk... well at least to him, anyway. Sage had finally settled on meditating in the attic with the window open. He'd been quiet for a few hours now. Ryo relished the silence, hoping he had fallen alseep. He grunted as he reached for the remote and turned on the TV. "Ryo..."
"Oh no..." Ryo moaned, "Sage?"
"It's so pretty outside today," Sage began, he looked longingly out of each window in the living room.
"It's cold Sage," Ryo said flatly, "and you've been coughing all day long. Going outside is not gonna make that cough sound any better, and it's not going to help that fever of yours, either."
Sage groaned and sat down on the couch beside Ryo, "I'll get you some juice."
"I'll get it, you're the one with the bad ribs.... You know, why don't you let me.."
"No Sage," Ryo said firmly, "Have you looked at yourself in the mirror at all today? You looked drained, you should be tired."
Sage frowned, he was tired, but he also felt restless, he couldn't go for so long without doing anything, "Oh... I need something to do Ryo... I've done all my homework, I've meditated, I've cleaned everything in the house..."
"How about a nap?" Ryo suggested, smiling at the idea himself.
Sage slumped further into the couch, "Ok... how about a game? We can play cards or checkers or something..." Ryo didn't feel like playing anything, but if it would keep the blond from eventually sneaking out and stealing into the woods he would play. Sage didn't object right away so Ryo got up and shuffled to grab board game, any board game. When he returned he nearly chunked the monopoly box across the living room in frustration.. While he had been gone fetching the American game Mia had brought home one day, Sage had stretched out over the couch, OVER HIS SPOT, and had fallen asleep. Ryo sighed and took a place on the loveseat, he soon had spread out and closed his eyes, and a grateful sleep overtook him.

"Awww..." Rowen cooed as he entered the house, quickly shushing Kento and Cye's argument outside the front door, "They're asleep."
Cye and Kento crept in softly, "How cute... anyone got a camera?"
Rowen had slipped into the kitchen, "This place is spotless."
"Sage's handy work I bet," Cye was inspecting the table that had been scubbed until it shone, "I can't see him just lying around resting all day."
Kento bounded into the kitchen and went straight for the pantry, he began tossing chips and cookies out onto the counter, "Just a little snack." Cye and Rowen rolled their eyes as Kento bundled up his goodies in his arms and went back through the living room, probably on his way up the stairs to his room. "It amazes me how he can find the strength to take all that food upstairs, but not his school books," Cye muttered to Rowen who laughed.
Kento walked through the living room but overhearing Cye's words and Rowen's laughter, "I heard that! I will get my..."
"Kento will you shut your loud mouth you could wake the dead!" Ryo's sleepy voice slurred, "And if you have woken up Sage I will kill you."
Kento guiltily looked back at the still slumbering blond, "No, he's still asleep. Want something to eat?" Quick to be helpful, Kento set his food down on the table let Ryo examine it all and take his pick. Ryo chose a package of cookies, "Thanks."
"How're you feeling man?" Kento asked, "Ribs still sore?"
"Yeah," Ryo winced just thinking about them, "but other than that, I'm fine. How was school?"
Kento rolled his eyes, "Don't ask.. Two words, pop quiz. You are so lucky you missed it."
"Kento!" Cye hissed coming into the living room, he looked to Sage who was still sleeping. He was less angered when he realized Kento hadn't woken the both of them up, "Let Ryo get his rest!"
"But..."
"I'm awake Cye, really, it's ok," Ryo was smiling.
"You would still be sleeping if it weren't for Kento and his big trap," Cye was saying as he leaned down to touch Sage's forehead, "Still hot."
"Yeah," Ryo commented, "He's not doing so good. He was so restless today, pacing around, cleaning stuff, but I think he's feeling worse than yesterday."
Kento groaned, "This is just great, how are we supposed to fight with two guys down. I don't know about you Ryo, but I'm not carrying Sage if he faints during battle... he doesn't need to be out there, I don't care if he is the only one that can see Darklings."
"I won't faint," came Sage's muffled argument as he struggled to sit up, his face a little green, "I might puke though..." he jumped shakily to his feet and dashed off to the downstairs bathroom with Cye trailing him.
"What are we gonna do if they come again tonight, Ryo?" Kento asked the leader, "I know you're going to want to battle... and for our survival we need Sage's light... but what about his survival, Ryo?"
A flicker of pain came into Ryo's eyes, " I don't know Kento... Just pray that Mia will come up with a solution I guess... Maybe she can find something that will enable all of us to see the Darklings... and we know they hate light now. Maybe we can build a weapon against them."
"Our best weapon is Inferno," Rowen appeared behind the couch, "but we'll need all five armors to form it, and I just don't think Sage is strong enough for that yet, Ryo."
"...and some crackers. That should settle your stomach some," Cye was telling Sage as they came out of the bathroom. Sage's face was white as milk, dark rings had found themselves homes under his eyes, and his hair hung flat and damp in his face. Cye had his arm around Sage's waist as he led him into the kitchen.
"I think we should maybe start helping Mia research," Rowen said glancing at the scene, "I've already surfed a few sites at school..." He wandered into the kitchen to see about his friend, ending the conversation on that unfinished note.
"I hate when he does that," Ryo said, "but he's right, it's time we start helping Mia."
"Great... just what I look forward to after school, reading more books!" Kento complained slamming his palm down on the coffee table.

"Hey guys," Mia came in late that night, her eyes showed her fatigue, but yet she was smiling, "I have a lot of useful information, and some things we need to do to protect our own."
"Protect our own?" Kento was questioning, but Mia was already moving on setting down her laptop case and moving to the couch where Sage lie dozing with Cye sitting on the floor in front of him, "Hey sweetie, how are feeling?" Mia shook Sage gently out of his doze.
Sweetie?
Sage gazed up at her oddly, "Did you just call me..?"
"Sage, there's an important thing that I'm going to have to do to you, ok, and I need you awake," Mia said softly.
"You're talking like you're about to send me to my grave Mia," Sage said sitting up and staring at Mia in confusion.
Mia didn't reply, causing Sage's eyes to widen with fear, and the others' eyes to cloud with confusion and doubt, "Mia, what needs to happen?"
"Sage.." Mia addressed Sage, not Rowen who had asked the question, "The Darklings are attracted to you... The mark you wear on your forehead taunts them, it challenges them and draws them to you. If Shivoni were still here, I'm sure there would be no probelm, because her wards were strong... but with her gone, her wards have weakened around you. There's no more real protection from demons for you Sage... you may still be shielded from them, but now they are no longer shielded from you. They can see what you are Sage..."
"What are you getting at?" Sage was beginning to sound very nervous, not liking the vibes he was getting from Mia.
"We're going to have to remove your mark," Mia said closing her eyes on the absolute horror that filled Sage's grey eyes, "NO! NO! Anything but that! Let the Darklings have me, anything but that again! I'd rather be dead!" Sage's body was shaking vigorously, his breath came in great gasping sobs. He rose to his feet in an attempt to flee, "It stays! I'd rather be dead than.."
"Then dead is what you will be!" Rowen yelled in his face, "You'll be dead and so will we, and many other innocent lives! Sage, we can help you through this... You won't be alone."
"Oh, I know I won't be alone! When the bind is broken I'll never be alone again..." Sage gripped the couch his knuckles showing white, "The voices never go away... the lights, the colors, the shadows...NO NEVER!" Sage fell back onto the couch as a terrible coughing fit wracked his body leaving him gasping for air at its end. Mia rubbed his back lightly and offered soothing words to him as Sage gasped and clutched at his chest in pain. Tears rolled down his pale cheeks, "God... I wanna die now... I hurt so much all over.." He let his feverish head rest in Mia's lap and Mia sat and stroked his blond hair away from his warm face.
"I think we should leave his mark alone, at least until he's in better shape Mia," Ryo said. He frowned at Sage's pale trembling form, "He's too sick right now to deal with anything."
"Ryo, he's weak, they're gonna be attracted to him like moths to a flame..." Mia said softly, "I wasn't going to make the move tonight... but tomorrow as soon as possible. Tonight Rowen and I have some work to do.... I've found an idea that may help us keep the Darklings at bay without the sword of Halo. Rowen. I'm gonna need you to help me piece it together, after all you are the genius. I have the supplies to build our project out in the car."
"And what is this project?" asked Ryo.
"It's a light generator...it's should be the size of a camping flashlight.. But it will release ultra violet rays.. Pure light enables you to see the Darkling... their outlines at least. I don't think anyone but a Witch could get a clear view of a Darkling..." she eyed Sage warily as she said that.
"But Sage saw their faces.." Kento butted in.
"That he did..." Mia said, she shrugged, "I have no explanation for that, except what he told us about that 'silver touch'....I couldn't find anything about it, but it's more than likely the reason why."
"How are you going to go about removing his mark?" Cye asked.
"There are a few spells for that actually... and if I have Sage's consent, I should be able to remove it," Mia said, not sounding as confident as the Ronnins would have hoped.
Sage moaned at the mention of removing his symbol of protection, and Mia pet his head, "It might not be so bad kiddo, but it's gotta happen."
The Ronnins and Mia sat in silence, "So that's it... We still have no idea how to find the Witches... but we know how to keep the Darklings away from us now. How is that going to protect the world?" Kento asked bitterly.
"One step at a time Kento, at least now we know how to keep them off our backs... Next step maybe we'll stumble upon something that can find us some Witches. Sage, without that protection, you're going to have access to a lot of power. Who's to say you can't track a Witch," Ryo shrugged.
"I'm to say he won't be tracking any Witches, at least until his fever breaks! I know we're battling the forces of evil, but health first... He's sick, and like Kento said, he won't be much of a help to us if he passes out!" Cye argued.
"That's not what I said," Kento looked at Cye, "I said I wasn't gonna carry him..."
"Whatever!" Cye snapped, "We can't use him."
"You're talking about me like I'm not here Cye!" Sage complained, "No one has asked me what I wanted to do."
"Cause you'll say you want to keep your protection," Ryo said smoothly, "Right?"
Sage closed his eyes and gave no answer.
"We'll discuss our next move after we finish this first one, ok?" Rowen said trying to smooth over the growing group argument.
Ryo and Cye looked uneasy but they nodded and agreed to a truce.

"Dude, come on it's good," Kento held the spoon full of steamy chicken broth and noodles to Sage's lips. Sage turned his head away and looked content in staring out the window, "Sage.. Ok, you're scared. You don't know what's going to happen when they take that thing off your head tonight, but I assure you starving yourself is not the solution. If anything you should eat to build your strength back up so you can fight whatever may happen tonight when you're..um... unbound..."
Sage frowned and turned back to face Kento, "My stomach is full of butterflies Kento. I can't eat."
"Oh, you can always eat! I can always eat!" Kento said, the soup was smelling mighty good to him, "Cye used all your favorite seasonings in it.." Kento tried to coax him, and ended up coaxing himself, "Want me to taste it for you first? I can tell you how good it is, and then maybe you'll..."
"Kento if you want to eat it go ahead and be my guest," Sage remarked, "I don't want food."
Kento groaned, Sage's words tempted him.. But no, "Sage, you need to eat. You've lost weight dude, and your color is bad."
"Well how do you expect me to look? I'm gonna lose all sanity in a few hours," Sage grumbled turning onto his side and pulling the covers up to his ears, "Go away."
Kento sighed and set the soup down. He looked at the large comforter with the tufts of blond hair peeping out from underneath it, "I saw Sylvia today."
Sage perked up. The covers slid down anxiously, "What did she look like?"
Kento blinked at that question, "Man, she looked sexy, if that's what you're asking...?"
"No! I mean, did she look sad? Upset? Worried?.." he cringed, "Mad?"
Kento frowned as Sage sat up, "I'll never get over how much you care for her. I didn't really notice if she looked anything. I guess she did look kind of... preoccupied though. Like she had something on her mind."
"Something sad? Something happy?"
"Sage! I don't know, that's your department man... If you must know, I was looking at her legs," Kento looked guilty, he gazed at Sage to see him sporting a small grin, "What'd she say to you?"
Kento looked dumbfounded, "Wha... What makes you think she said something?"
"Cause I know she did," Sage snicker, "What'd she say to you?"
"She called me a perverted pig that needed to go back and wallow in the muddy slop I came from," Kento said bitterly, "I like her looks, but her mouth...."
"You shouldn't have been drooling anyway," Sage said lying back on his pillows, "Maybe she's home, I can call her!"
Kento rolled his eyes, but it did please him to see Sage cheer up a bit and smile, "You'd call her in the middle of a tornado!"
"Well I would have to make sure she's alright!" Sage said matter-of-factly. He sat up in the bed and swung his legs over the side.
"What are you doing?"
"Going to get the phone," Sage said simply.
"Uh-uh, you stay there Lover-boy, I'll go get the phone and bring it to you. While I'm gone... why don't you try some soup before it gets cold?" Kento got up to retrieve the phone leaving Sage to make angry faces after him.

The leatherbound book made a loud thud as it hit the wall then clumped to the tiled floor. Sylvia sat on the floor perpendicular to it, "Stupid book! Stupid spell!" She was crying. No change, no change... her mother was in the same condition she had been in days ago! Why wasn't it working? She could see and feel Sage getting weaker, getting sick like her mother had... but why wasn't her mother getting better? She shuddered as she felt them, the Darklings.. They were here, but at bay because the sun had yet to sink below the horizon yet. It would only be a matter of time before they were found... Her senses told her she should abandon her mission, abandon her mother.... but her heart made her stay a while longer. She couldn't leave her... she still needed her. She dropped her head to her chest and let her tears fall over her cheeks. They wet the front of her blouse. Doctors and nurses thought she was crying for her mother, and in some part she was.. She was crying because soon she and her mother would be dead, murdered, exterminated like insects, by the Darklings. She had no wish to die. She wanted to move on, see more of the worlds, pursue her Craft. Maybe since she was a Witch alone, maybe if she fled now she could make it to one of the other nine worlds..maybe they would take pity and let her take refuge with them. She could be good... and maybe, maybe she could continue on her race with one of them. The race would never be pure again, but at least it wouldn't end.... and if the race had no end, then there would still be hope for the end, the containment of the Darklings... Her foremothers before her had pondered and formulated a spell and plan of capture, or containment of the Darklings, but that was long lost when the Darklings ran the Witches out. Witches had been running for centuries, and Sylvia's mother felt their biggest mistake was splitting up the tribes... Strength came in numbers, and in dividing amongst themselves they were weakened. Sylvia's mother had been a strong well respected Witch... she was going to teach Sylvia how to be just like her. They had only just begun her lessons when her mother fell ill... They thought nothing of it at first, it was a cold, the flu, pneumonia, a complication of the virus... It would pass with proper herbs and potions... but as her mother grew weaker and weaker, Sylvia sought out the help of the human medical world. They had substained her mother until then, but could not cure her. Sylvia had taken the initiative upon herself, and thought she had done so well... thought her mother would be proud... BUT SHE HAD FAILED! FAILED!! What went wrong? I did everything the book asked of me, everything! I even chose a sensational candidate! What...went... wrong? She lost herself in her tears of frustration, of failure.
The phone rang. Sylvia jerked with a yelp. She stared at the telephone. Who could possibly be calling her? She rose shakily and went to the phone, before answering she took a deep hiking breath, then another, "Ok... Hello?"
"Syl? What's wrong?"
"Sage..." her heart sank. Sage, her perfect candidate, an innocent soul, her love. She felt her heart constrict as she uttered that thought to herself... Yes, she did love him. Everytime she thought of him she felt her heart drop... She tried to think of him as little as possible, after all, she was the one hurting him, "Um.. Uh.. Nothing. How are you? Your friends tell me you're sick."
"Yeah..." he said with a groan, "I wanted to come see you today, but the guys are playing warden and won't let me out of the house at all."
Sylvia smiled in spite of herself... she found little to be desired in Sage's friends, but she admired how well they cared for their own, "They're good friends."
"Yeah they are, annoying, but good," Sage chuckled, "So, how's your Mom?"
Sylvia felt like someone had stabbed her in the chest, "She... she's the same Sage..." She'll always be that way and thanks to my screw up, you may be too.
"Oh.. I'm sorry Syl. I wish there was something I could do," Sage sounded so sad... Now the knife in her chest was being twisted. How could he sound so sad for someone he didn't even know? Maybe it is the love spell, she finally decided. She set his eyes to where they would only see her... but even so, she felt as if his true nature was altruistic, "Maybe I could sneak away..."
"No, no stay in bed," Sylvia said in a tired voice, "I'm ok here. I may come to see you though."
"Oh really?" Sage's voice sounded happy, happy but tired, "Today? Tomorrow, when?"
Sylvia couldn't help but smile at his enthusiam.. Oh Sage how would it be without the spell? Would you still sound so happy to see me? Would you still be so worried about my wellfare? Would you still find it in your heart to love me? Would you have treated me like those other girls who look your way with doting eyes? What would it be like, if I were normal.. If I were human? Could I really have been your girlfriend?
"Sylvia? Syliva? SYL?!!"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Um, I don't know really. Maybe tomorrow, I'm going to be with Mom today," Sylvia said in barely a whisper.
"Oh, ok," Sage said, she heard him stifle a cough, "I look forward to it. I haven't seen you in a while!"
"It's only been a few days," she wiped at her eyes, and giggled softly.
"It feels like it's been years! I'm writing you a new poem. I know you love dungeons and dragons as much as I do so I started this a few days ago..."
Oh Sage... we have so much in common, but so little knowledge of each other. She had been surprised when she learned of Sage's passion for the medieval times. She had also loved those times.. But she had also been there. Sylvia had spun tale around tale of princesses and magicians and dragons around him in their month together while she weaved her spell about him. His poetry was as ethereally beautiful as he was in her eyes. She wondered if he had not cast a spell over her as well. After a week of snaring him, she had become snared as well.
"I'm sure its beautiful," Sylvia said in a soft whisper.
"It is... it's about you," Sage said, she could hear his smile... see his eyes sparkling at her. How could anyone think he was cold? Anyone who thought so, just never bothered to step inside of those looks, those piercing eyes, and look around. Sage was a person of beauty and wisdom, who loved beauty and wisdom to their full aspects. His philosophy could be so beautiful at times it brought tears to her eyes. How could he hide such art? How could he be ashamed of his poetry? Syliva had met his parents once... His mother was a graceful woman with hair of liquid amber as well... and in her face, she could see where Sage had inherited his beauty and philosophy. His father, his father was a broad man of intelligence and cunning, dark and brooding... His grandfather seemed to be the key to Sage's inherent virtue of wisdom. Sage had so much going for him.. And she had taken that away, "I can't wait for you to come. I have to introduce you to Mia!" Sage was going on.
Sylvia felt herself sliding down to the floor. There she sat holding the phone listening to Sage's pleasant chatter, there was yelling in the background.. She heard Sage sigh, "I have to go now Syl... I'll..I'll see you tomorrow?"
He sounded so wistful, like his heart would break if he thought that maybe she wouldn't show up..if she said no.. "Yes Sage, I'll see you tomorrow, right after school."
"Ok," Sage said sounding pleased, and tired, "I'll see you tomorrow. I love you."
Sylvia paused before repeating the phrase, "I love you...too."
The line disconnected.... But would you still love me if you knew what I was doing to you?