"Sakura," Ryo called gently, as he lifted her up so she was sitting. Sakura's eyes flickered open as Ryo and the others gave a sigh of relief. 

"Ryo, what's going on?" she asked as he helped her to her feet. Ryo's answer was cut off by a low guttural growl as they all turn to face the thing that was hiding behind the stone slab. Sakura's eyes widened in shock and horror as she stared into the two red eyes.

"Oh, no. What have I done?" she whispered as everything came back to her. The monstrous creature slowly advanced forward into the torchlight of the cavern as everyone gave a gasp as its appearance. The thing was huge, towering well over their heads. It had the scaly claws of a dragon along with face of one as well. On its forehead was a tiny red jewel.  The body was that of a lion and was covered with shaggy brown fur. The thing stood on its hind legs much like a person would as its large rat like tail whipped back and forth furiously. Its pointed snout open in a roar to reveal a mouth lined with hundreds of sharp teeth.

"What is that thing?" Rowen asked.

Seriyu let out an evil laugh as the Illusionist stood next to him, an amused expression on his face. "It's my way to rule the world. That thing is unstoppable and it can not be beaten by normal means."

The ronins and warlords continued to stare at the massive creature as it stretched it claws and whipped its tail around. The red jewel on its forehead glowing brightly with life.

"It's a shadowrunner." Sakura said softly. The others turned to her.

"I thought they were extinct!" Cale said.

"They are, but apparently my father was able to keep one down here, locked up in some type of suspended animation. And when I opened the gate, I set it free."

"That's not good." Dais breathed.

"What's so bad about that? If the rest of these things could be killed what makes this one any different?" Sage asked.

"Because they weren't killed my normal means. Their entire race died in a freak accident." Anubis said.

"What kind of accident?" Kento asked.

"The only thing that can kill them is acid, and the colony that the shadowrunners lived in caught a downpour of acid rain. Apparently, Talpa saved this one." Cale said.

"Then can't we just use Sekhmet's poison to kill it?" Cye questioned.

"Nope, has to be acid." Sekmet replied. The group's conversation was cut off when Seriyu made his way to stand in front of the massive shadowrunner.

"I am you master, Seriyu. I command you to kill the intruders!" Seriyu said pointing to the warlords and Ronins.

The Shadowrunner cast a beady eye at the figure standing in front of him as he continued to stretch his claws.

"Who are you?" the Shadowrunner said finally in a deep throaty voice.

"I am Seriyu, I have freed you from your prison, and now you will obey me."

The Shadowrunner leaned down and sniffed Seriyu as he gave a roar of disapproval.

"You are not Master Talpa!" the Shadowrunner said with a roar. Seriyu's face lost its confident look as he tried again.

"But, I freed you. And you will now obey me!"

"I obey no one, but Talpa!" the Shadowrunner roared as he grabbed Seriyu in his clawed hand and threw him against the wall. Seriyu hit the wall with a hard thud as he fell limply to the floor. The Illusionist made his way over to him as he checked his neck for a pulse.

"He's dead." He said standing up and looking at the others.

"Dead?" Sakura gasped. "But how?"

"He must have broken his neck when that Shadowrunner threw him against the wall, either that or his spinal cord." Anubis answered. The group turned to look back at the Shadowrunner as it fell on all fours and turned its attention on them.

"You are all intruders in my master's castle. And now prepare to suffer the consequences."

"She is the daughter of Talpa!" The Illusionist said as he rushed forward and pushed Sakura toward the monster. The Shadowrunner leaned down to inspect and see if what the Illusionist had said was true. Ryo tried to step in front of her but the others held him back.

"Maybe he won't attack her, since she is the direct bloodline of Talpa." Mia said. Ryo looked on, concern etched in his face as the Shadowrunner sniffed Sakura. Sakura could feel his hot breath on her face as the Shadowrunner stood back up.

"What you say is true!" he said with a growl. Sakura gave a smile to the others.

"But that makes no difference, she is not Talpa and now you will all die!"