Starlight Never Dies

By Lady Ava

Disclaimer: I don't own the Ronin Warriors.

Chapter Two The Meeting With Anubis

When the four Ronins returned home from school, they were welcomed by the sweet smell of fresh flowers and mint. The house was very warm and cozy which was the perfect way to start off a vacation.

But the guys were worried about Rowen. They had never seen him so unaware of his surroundings before. Even when he had lower blood pressure than usual, he would still manage to have a sense of humor. But it was as if he wasn't even there. Like his body was there but his mind was gone.

Ryo and the others entered the kitchen to see Mia at the stove preparing mint tea. "Hey there Mia." The leader of the group stated as he and the others seated themselves at the table completely ungracefully.

"Hi guys. How was school?" The woman asked, her eyes remaining on the stove.

"Boring." Kento said quickly. "All we did was watch some movie called 'It's A Wonderful Life.' After watching that, I don't see how anyone's life can be wonderful."

Laughing lightly at Kento's comment, Mia turned and brought a tray of tea to the boys. "Besides seeing a movie, what else happened?" She inquired as she joined them at the table.

Taking one of the china cups in his hands, Sai took a quick sip. "Nothing else really. But what about you? Did you manage to get Rowen to the doctor's?"

Placing her cup onto the oak table and folding her hands together, Mia looked at the other teenagers. "I took Rowen to the doctor in the city. He ran the usual tests and scans and gave him a entire check-up."

"And what did he say?" Sage asked.

Looking down at the table for a moment, Mia searched for the right words to use to tell them. Finally, after what seemed like ages, she spoke up. "While Rowen was getting his stuff together, Dr. Isumi pulled me aside for a moment. He told me that all of Rowen's tests were normal. His blood pressure is at its normal level and he's in perfect health."

The room grew silent as Mia's story concluded. Nobody knew what to say. There wasn't anything to say to that.

"So," Ryo started. "Where is Rowen now?"

"He's up in his room. He's been up there ever we got home. I went up to talk to him a couple of times, but he just sits on the window seat and stares out at the lake." Mia told them sadly. 

Suddenly, Sage rose from his place at the table. "I'm gonna try to talk to him. Maybe I can get something out of him."

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Meanwhile, Rowen was sitting on the window seat in the room that he shared with Sage. He was dressed in a blue long sleeve skater shirt and loose jeans. The lights were on, but very softly.  The light from the setting sun was more dominate in lighting the bedroom. But as the beams filled the room with their beautiful shades of shimmering red, orange, and gold, nothing but emptiness was in Rowen's mind and heart.

'I always thought that these sunsets in the mountains were beautiful. But they just seem like nothing…' He thought to himself as he watched a light snow begin to fall.

Grabbing his head in frustration, Rowen let out a long deep sigh. 'Kayura, what are you trying to tell me?'

Suddenly, a soft knock on the door caused the blue-haired boy to jump. Drawing in a calming breath to steady his nerves, Rowen glanced back outside. "Yea?" He called softly and tiredly.

"Ro?" Sage asked as he opened the door and peered inside. "Can I come in?"

"Sure. It's your room too, ya know." Rowen told, his gaze still outside.

Upon entering, Sage closed the door quietly behind him. Then, in an uneasy silence between him and his friend, he made his way over to his bed. As he sat in his usual meditation position, he cleared his throat. "Rowen, what is—"

"Don't try that Sage." Rowen suddenly snapped, causing Sage to become taken aback. "Nothing is wrong with me. The doctors even said so."

"Then why are you acting like this? You're acting as if someone just died." Sage shouted unknowing, but managed to calm himself very quickly. Then, lowering his head a bit, Halo let his hair fall out of place. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have exploded like that."

Swinging his legs around so that his feet touched the floor, Rowen looked at his friend and partner in battle. "I'm the one who should be sorry Sage. It's just…" Letting his voice trail off, the blue haired boy sighed. Rising to his feet, he walked over to his bed and fell forwards onto the blue sheets. He heard Sage ask 'just what?' but he didn't answer. It wasn't the right time to tell anyone yet. 'They wouldn't understand. They just don't get it.' He kept telling himself.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of muffled footsteps and the door open and shut. Sage was gone. Sitting up, Rowen stared at the door for a few moments and then sighed once again. The sun was now gone and the snowfall was becoming heavier. Turning on his side so that he faced the double windows, Rowen watched the snow float down from the heavens and rest on the land below. He heard the usual sounds from downstairs. Kento and Sai fighting over how Kento shouldn't steal food before it is set out to eat. Ryo and Sage shouting at the hockey game on TV and Mia trying to contain her laughter.

Suddenly, the door creaked open once again. Glancing up a bit, Rowen saw a blur of white walk in and shut the door. Then, before he realized it, he was face to face with a furry face and brown eyes. "Hey White Blaze." He said dully.

White Blaze instantly sensed something was wrong. But then again, White Blaze wasn't any normal large white tiger who just happened to live in the mountains of Japan with five boys who could call upon ancient armor and fight against the forces of darkness and one woman who was extremely smart when it came to myths and legends. Purring softly, the cat nudged the youth's hand.

"You trying to make me feel better boy?" Rowen asked in a weak tone of voice. The cat nodded lightly as he continued to rub his nose up against Strata's hand. "I can tell you what's bothering me and you can't tell anyone. The others just wouldn't get it. They don't understand what it's like to be…in love."

Staring at the young teen in question, the tiger sat and acted as if he could understand what Rowen was saying. "I've been having the strangest dreams. There's a cold ice like mist surrounding me from all sides. I can't move because I'm bound to something. Then, her voice calls to me. She asks to be set free again. When I call out to her, I can't even control my words. Then, I see her. I break free of my bounds and I can hold her in my arms again. But, then she gets taken from me. And I'm alone once more. I call out her name and then…I wake up."

Sitting up once again, Rowen scratched White Blaze behind the ears. "But the dreams leave me feeling so drained, like we had just formed the Inferno five times in one day. So I decided to try to stay awake as long as I can, just so I won't have to see her be taken from me again. Both ways, I end up exhausted. But at least I don't have to keep losing her over and over again."

White Blaze stared at the boy as if asking who he was referring to. "I miss her." Rowen murmured softly. "Ever since she left ten months ago, I still feel her presence in a way." Lowering his gaze to the floor and away from the cat's eyes, the blue haired Strata muttered, "Kayura…what are you saying to me?"

Suddenly, White Blaze smiled lightly. Grabbing hold of Rowen's shirtsleeve, he began to pull the youth off of his place on the bed. Uncrossing his legs, Rowen jumped to his feet. "What's wrong? What do you want?"

Letting go of the boy, White Blaze quickly ran over to his end table and to where he kept his kanji ball. Grabbing it in his mouth lightly, he turned and quickly bolted for the door. Seeing the cat take off with his orb, Rowen quick gave chase after him. "White Blaze! Give that back!" He shouted as he lunged at the cat.

But before he could grab onto him, White Blaze opened the door and made a break for the staircase. Rowen landed on the rug of the room with a loud thud. Recovering quickly though, he sprang to his feet and ran after the tiger.

"White Blaze! Give that back to me!" He shouted as he ran down the stairs and at the cat waited by the door. As soon as he saw Rowen on the sixth step, he opened the front door and ran out into the snow. "White Blaze! Get back in here!" Seeing how that wasn't going to work, he grabbed his varsity Archery jacket and put his shoes on.

"What the hell is happening out there?" Kento shouted from the living room. "It sounds like World War III!"

As Rowen was about to step out the door, Mia's voice stopped him in his tracks. "Where are you going?" She asked innocently.

"White Blaze ran off with my kanji orb. I have to get it." He said flatly as he too vanished into the darkness outside.

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The snow and cold stung Rowen's face and hands as he ran through the heavy snowfall after White Blaze. Although the snow was coming down very thick and very fast, there were still stars visible in the sky. The full moon hung in the sky and provided a source of light whenever it wasn't behind the black storm clouds. The forest around the Koji manor was extremely beautiful when they were green and covered in leaves, but in the moonlight and when they were covered in ice and snow, they were almost magical.

Rowen and White Blaze weaved in and out of the many trunks of the frost bitten trees. It seemed like forever as they ran. The Strata warrior was quickly becoming tired and weak from the cold as the cat lead him deeper and deeper into the woods. Finally, Rowen just couldn't run anymore. He fell into the wet snow and laid there on his stomach. Suddenly, he felt White Blaze's hot breath on his neck. He reached up and let the cat put him on his back. Then, once again, they took off into a run. Rowen felt as if he was riding White Blaze for an eternity before the animal finally came to a halt. Looking up, the boy saw that the snow had stopped and the night sky was as clear as anything. Climbing off of the cat's back, Rowen stared at his surroundings. They were in a small clearing next to the frozen lake. Looking down at White Blaze, Rowen saw the cat drop his kanji orb at his feet. Looking at the orb and then at the tiger, the warrior of life asked. "Why did you bring me here?"

All of a sudden, the orb let out a bright beacon of dark blue light. The glow engulfed both boy and cat. Rowen prepared himself to feel the cool feeling of his sub-armor encase his body. But the feeling never came. Instead, he felt a warm sensation engulf his senses. His entire body was relaxed and calm as he floating in the growing brighter void of light.

That when he heard it. The sound of the ancient's staff. The sounds of metal hitting metal started to become clearer with every hit. Opening his eyes, Rowen say that he wasn't in the harsh cold forest, but in a field of cherry blossom trees. He was dressed in feudal samurai armor with an ancient wooden bow and quiver on his back. White Blaze was now missing from his side and he was alone with the sound of the Ancient One's staff clanging.

"Rowen of the Strata…" A faint and very familiar voice echoed to him.

Looking over the vast field, Rowen saw the familiar figure dressed in the white and blue robes. The straw hat hid his eyes from view and his bandaged hands held the golden staff tightly in his grasp. "It has been awhile Anubis." Rowen said out towards the man.

"Rowen, you must look deep into your dreams and find what Kayura is trying to say." The brown haired ancient told him.

"She is begging me to set her free. What does she mean?" The youth pleaded to know the meaning.  

But before he could learn any more, a distant shout hit his ears. But it wasn't just one voice. It was five.

"Rowen!"

"Hey Ro! Where are you man?"

"Answer us!"

"Please Rowen! This isn't funny!"

"Rowen! Come on and answer us!"

The blue haired boy stared back behind him with a look of question on his face. "It's the guys and Mia. They sound worried." He told Anubis.

"They are." The monk explained.

Turning back so that his eyes were locked on the deceased vision, a question came to Rowen's mind. "Why is Kayura trying to contact me? What's the matter?"

But Anubis did not answer his question. All he did was remain silent and stern. A light cool breeze blew across the landscape and caused the petals from the trees to fall gently around the Ronin and former warlord. Finally, the only words that the brown haired man could muster out were, "Tell the other Ronin about you and Kayura. It could help save the mortal realm and you."

Suddenly, the clanging of the staff began once again and Anubis and the field of cherry blossoms began to vanish from Rowen's sight. "Wait! What do you mean 'It will save the mortal realm?' Is Talpa back? Answer me, Anubis! Anubis!"

The landscape and the Ancient had vanished from Rowen's mind before an answer could come. The teen stood in a deep black void with nothing with any signs of life. There was darkness and nothing more. Rowen had returned to his normal clothes and the cold feeling around him was returning. That's when the voices of his friends flitter into his mind.

"What the—"

"Sage, catch him!"

'Am I falling? Where am I?' Rowen thought. The sound of rushing air passing his body came and the sound of Mia screaming. 'What's going on?' He was falling…faster…and faster…and faster…

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~ Well, that's chapter 2. I hope you enjoyed it. Please read and review. ~