Thanks to everyone who reviewed! *bows gratefully* Apparently I can write a pretty good fight scene…at least, that's what the general consensus is. I thought it was decent…nothing to brag about really…but, hey! What do I know? ^__^ It also seems there are a lot (and I do mean a lot) of Touma fans reading this. Don't worry, he'll be along. I will give you one teensy weensy hint and tell you that he's the next one to be introduced. No, it's not in this chapter, but… HEY! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?? *sighs* Anyway, umm… the names of the random minor characters are basically their occupation (i.e., Hakase = doctor and Heishi = soldier). Umm… I think I'm going to shut up now and let you read. Enjoy!

Go

Seiji sighed. Nearly an hour had passed and his sight had not returned completely. Damn ninja. "I'm the last, aren't I, Hakase-san."

"No, Lord," the doctor said, lying to protect Seiji's honor. "There are a few left."

"I know I am. The only other presence I sense is yours. You don't have to lie to protect my pride; I have none."

"Forgive me, milord."

"It's alright. How much longer do you think it will take?"

Hakase sighed. "It is hard to say, Seiji-sama. Your sight has always been exceptionally keen, especially at night. I doubt the flash caused any permanent damage, however."

Seiji nodded. His peripheral vision had begun to return, which is the only way he saw one of his grandfather's most trusted lieutenants come into the room. "What news, Heishi?"

Heishi looked startled. "But how…?"

"I saw you."

"Saw?"

"I am not completely blind, Heishi. My peripheral vision has returned somewhat." He saw the doctor nod in approval as Heishi stuttered an apology. "Never mind. What word have you?"

"My Lord," the soldier said, snapping to attention, "the ninja has escaped. We can find no trace of him. I'm sorry, we have failed and brought shame to you. All those who were on duty are prepared to commit suicide on your command."

"I forbid it."

The shocked look returned to the lieutenant's face. "My Lord!"

"If all those on duty were to die, I would have to die with them, and that would lower all here to worthless ronin. Besides, that ninja did not kill my grandfather for nothing. Every daimyo in the province knew him to be undefeatable. That alone was enough to provide Sendai with a safeguard." Seiji turned partially-sightless eyes to Heishi. "Someone is planning to attack Sendai. Why else would they murder my grandfather, Lord Masamune? To have all those on duty during the infiltration would be a waste of men we may need in the future."

Heishi smiled gently at the younger man. "You have changed, Seiji-sama. You are no longer the restless boy who trained under me."

"Responsibility will do that to a man," Seiji said, turning his face away so he could see the lieutenant again. "Responsibility and guilt. I could sense the ninja, but did nothing. The blame for the death of Masamune-sama is mine to bear."

Screams of agony suddenly echoed down the hall toward them, making both Hakase and Heishi look up. Several samurai walked in, carrying still others: the source of the screams

"These are the men I sent out into the forest," Heishi said as the doctor began directing the men to pallets.

"What happened?" Hakase demanded.

"I'm not quite sure, sir," one, the obvious head of the regiment, replied with a bow.

The doctor knelt to examine the men's bleeding feet before carefully removing something. He held it cautiously in the palm of his hand. It was a four-pointed device, engineered so that one of the barbed spikes pointed upward no matter how the instrument fell. Three drops of a yellowish liquid were left in his palm as he lifted the thing again. He sniffed the liquid gingerly before handing the item to Heishi. "The points are poisoned; be careful."

Heishi looked at the doctor in alarm before quickly setting the thing aside and glancing at Seiji. The young master's eyes were closed, whether or not he was asleep the lieutenant did not know. He cleared his throat awkwardly, not wanting to wake the young daimyo.

"He has not gone far."

"My Lord?"

"He has not gone far. I have felt his eyes on us for the past two days and nights. He will rest now; his job is done."

Heishi wondered at Seiji's low, emotionless tone until he realized the boy was in a trance, deep in his meditation.

"I see him. He will rest and then he will move. I will strike him down before he escapes my Sight again." He held out his hand to Heishi, never opening his eyes. "The no-datchi."

Heishi hurried to obey his lord, placing the hilt of the broadsword into Seiji's hand.

Seiji took a deep breath as he felt the power and energy flow through him. He laid the sword across his knees and lowered his head as if in prayer. "So much power. Power of Light. And that boy's strange aura. What does it mean, Grandfather?"

The room fell eerily silent and Seiji fell further into his meditation. Dawn approached, and slowly Ama-terasu rose from the sea, banishing the demons of the night. A single sunbeam shone through the room's single window, striking the shining steel blade of the no-datchi. The light reflected up, causing a strip of light to fall across Seiji's eyes.

Seiji gasped, shocked out of his meditation by the amount of energy that flowed through him. His head shot up, his eyes opening wide. He could see! He stared out the window at the lightening sky or a moment before his eyes narrowed again. "I have seen him," he said, his voice soft and dangerous. "I have seen where he hides. His aura lights the forest like a fiery inferno. I know where he hides."

"I shall send a force out immediately, My Lord."

"No." Seiji turned to look into look into Heishi's eyes. "I shall go alone. Send no regiment after me or I will personally take your head as sure as the sun dawns red this morning. There's something about this ninja; I must face him alone.

The lieutenant bowed. "Yes, My Lord," he said, suddenly reminded very much of Lord Masamune.

Hakase smiled a little as he, too, bowed to his liege. "Your sight has returned," he said.

"Yes, thanks be to Okuninushi and Ama-terasu." He inclined his head to the window as if bowing to the radiant sun goddess. He then rose and strode to the door, the no-datchi sill in his hand. "I'm going to bed. Wake me by mid-morning."

* * *

Ryo stretched in his make-shift hammock, yawning hugely. The hammock, consisting singly of his over-long sash, was strung between the upper branches of a giant Arakashi like a spider web, securely cradling the young ninja. He closed his eyes as the eastern sky began to lighten, determined to get some rest before he set off to rejoin the clan. He smiled a little to himself, remembering how those idiot samurai had literally stumbled right onto the tetsubishi he had laid for them. They wouldn't try anything for a while. He was relatively safe…for the moment. He yawned again and drifted off into a light, easy sleep.

Oh, come ON! I couldn't have a whole chapter without mention of my baby! Sure, I love Sage and all, but I can't give him a whole chapter to himself. I didn't do it for Ryo, and I won't do it for Sage, either. Umm, by the way, Okuninushi is the god of medicine. (Yeah, I know… I just thought about Sage using the sun's light to heal Ryo's eyes in episode 5 and couldn't resist. Sorry.) Also, another note, an Arakashi is a Blue Japanese Oak. It grows to about 10-20 m. (that's about 33-66 feet to you fans on the standard measurement system, including me) and grows deep in the mountains. Ok, so Sendai's on the EDGE of the mountains…cut me some slack, will ya? Oh, and R/R, will you? Please? I'd really appreciate it…