Disclaimer: I do not own Ronin Warriors.
Chapter Three~ The Unspoken Truth ~
Opening his eyes, the first thing at Rowen felt was pain. A burning sensation coursed through his chest as it was a feeling he had never felt before. Then he noticed was he wasn't outside in the woods anymore, but in his room and in his bed. Warm rays of sun flooded the room as the sun hung low in the sky. Blinking a couple of times so that his vision cleared a bit, Rowen glanced over his alarm clock. The hands read '4pm.'
"What? It can't be four in the afternoon." He told himself out loud as he reached over and picked up the time telling device. Examining it for a minute, it hit him that it was indeed in working condition. "It isn't wrong. But…why did I sleep so long?"
Staring around his room, he saw that the world was indeed light. The sun was starting to sink into the horizon, creating a warm feeling in the room. The entire world seemed brighter because of the freshly fallen power from the night before. The trees, lake, and his window was covering in frost and snow.
But as Rowen sat there, the burning feeling his chest was growing in heat. It felt as if someone had placed a red hot iron onto his chest and just let it sit and burn into his skin. He clutched his sweat soaked shirt tightly as he tired to subdue the pain by taking steady breaths.
"What is this pain?" He asked to himself as his breathing started to slow and calm. Then, it hit him about what Anubis told him. "Was this what he meant by growing ill?"
Removing his cool sheets from his body, Rowen found himself in his sleeping attire. His clothes from the night before were thrown onto his desk chair along with his jacket. Placing his feet into his slippers, he made his way to the door, his world spinning around him as he went.
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Upon arriving downstairs, the warrior of life stumbled into the family room's doorway. He quickly clutched the wooden frame and tried desperately to gain back his clear vision. The burning was harsher than before and it made him feel sick to his stomach. He was just glad that the others weren't in the room. That was the last thing he wanted. To have them worrying about him was something that he never wanted them to do. His mother and father hardly ever worried about him when he was little except that time he was put into the hospital after collapsing from his blood pressure.
Stumbling over to the couch, Rowen collapsed with a thud. He was in pain, both physically and emotionally. If he told the guys about Kayura and him, then the pain would probably vanish. But the downside was that the others would be angry with him for keeping it a secret.
On the other hand, if he was to keep it inside any longer, the pain would probably grow and cause him to go to the hospital. He didn't want to go there again. Rowen hated doctors, needles, and hospitals. The nurses he didn't mind, but the quacks with the sharp pointy objects made chills run up and down his spine.
'I guess there is no way around it.' He thought to himself.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of muffled slippered feet enter the room, which quickly stopped. "Rowen?" It was too soft and sweet sounding to be any of the guys voices. That only left one other person.
Flipping over onto his back, Rowen glanced up to see the woman staring at him as if he had three heads. "Mia, I need to talk to you." He said weakly, trying to sit up.
Becoming concerned, Mia, being the motherly figure that she was, went over and sat down next to the boy. "What's wrong?"
Rowen sat in silence for a moment. Then, swallowing hard, he started his explanation. "You asked me why I was staying up late. Well, it's because I keep having these dreams." He said softly.
"What kind of dreams?" Mia asked innocently.
Looking up at her and then at the floor, Rowen sighed. "It's not really a dream though. It's like a vision." Stopping shortly, Rowen quickly shook his head. "No wait…a connection…to…"
Mia saw that Rowen suddenly became uneasy. He began to ring his hands together and blink every other second. "To what?" She asked calmly.
"Not what. Who." Strata quickly corrected.
"Then, Who?"
Rowen's face began to grow a bit warm. His blushing features made this twice as hard to say. But, thinking about how much pain he would be in if he didn't get out, he quietly murmured. "Kayura…"
Mia drew back suddenly. "So why are you so nervous? It's only Kayura you're talking about? The others probably have had messages from her in dreams as well."
Rising to his still uneasy legs, Rowen closed his eyes and turned away from Mia. "That's just it. Its nothing like that," He paused, feeling his heart pounding harder in his chest, making the pain grow. The clamminess on his brow and hands was becoming worse.
"So then, what is it?" the woman asked, standing as well.
Rowen shook his head as he headed for the doorway. "Forget it. Forget I said anything."
Mia crossed her arms in frustration and question. "Now that you brought it up, I can't just, 'forget you said anything.' Come on Rowen."
Clenching his hand into a fist, Rowen bit his bottom lip. "You wouldn't understand. None of you would understand," he muttered.
"What wouldn't I understand?" She asked, sounding almost as if she were pleading with him.
Slamming his fist against the wall, Rowen knocked a few photos from the hanging place. He rested his brow to the wall, feeling tears start to roll down his face. His head felt as if it were about to explode with the thoughts and memories of Kayura running through his mind.
"Mia," The blue hair youth started, turning back to his friend so as to reveal his reddened eyes, "You don't know what its like…to be in love…with someone you can't be with…"
"You…are in…love with…Kayura?" she stuttered out, shock completely ensuing her mind.
Rowen nodded, "And she loves me…"
"But…how? You and her? How is that possible?"
Looking out the windows, Rowen felt the pain begin to leave him. "I stayed by her side when Talpa became too much for her to bear. I comforted her when she cried about her past and she loved me and held me like no one could ever."
Mia was in shock. She placed her hands upon her mouth, trying to hide her gasp.
"Hey Mia? What fell?" Sai's voice echoed as four sets of footsteps began to approach the family room.
Within seconds, the others appeared within the opposite doorway. They looked the scene over carefully, seeing Mia's shock and Rowen's reddened face.
"What's wrong you two?" Sage inquired, his eyes darting back and forth between his friends.
Rowen glanced at them and then at Mia. "They wouldn't understand. Just like I said."
He started off down the hallway that lead to the study before the guys could get a word in. His theory about the pain going away was wrong and right at once. He felt the burning start to subside, but the pain was still going strong. If anything, it would only get better before it got worse. But he needed to be alone…alone to think.