Disclaimer: Blah blah blah, blah blahblahblah. Blah blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah?
Warnings: ah…nothing.
A/N: Am very sorry about the focus on Denice in the beginning here. But I had to. ^^; Other than that…nothing to say.
BTW, I don't think I ever put this anywhere yet…. Anyway, if you're ever unsure whether or not I've updated this some time, there are two easy ways to check. The easier, I think, is to join my yahoo group (called insert_randomness), so you'll get e-mails…though be warned, you'll get stuff for all of my fics, most of which aren't this one. The other is to go to my livejournal. (username: queenstrata…I'd put the link up here, but ff.net is EVIL.) So yeah. That's about it. I'll just get on with the story now.
Chapter Six: In Which the Ronins Finally Make an Actual Appearance
Denice walked through the halls of the castle, looking around her nervously. The torches on the walls glowed an eerie blue color, lighting up before her as she walked, footsteps echoing throughout the silent castle. Then, suddenly, she reached a pair of ornate golden doors.
She stopped for a moment, staring at the doors in front of her, before gulping audibly and pushing them forcibly inwards.
"Ah, Denice!" Tobraea's voice came from inside the lighted room. "Do come inside, won't you?"
Denice stepped forward cautiously, automatically suspicious. As she entered, she looked around the room reflexively, searching for hidden traps or people in the shadows. Nothing. Tobraea was alone.
"I've been waiting for you," he continued amiably, grinning, and the doors suddenly slammed closed.(1)
Startled, Denice jumped, wings automatically appearing and forcing her to take flight for a moment before she controlled herself and landed again.
"You have?" she finally asked. "How?"
"I watched you plan," Tobraea laughed. "The green-haired, boy's attempted entrance, had set off an alarm, heard only inside this castle. We would not want to alert you that we knew, would we?
"Still, I must admit that your plan was very good. I would have believed you, treacherous little demon that you are. But your chances are slim now, and I cannot afford to risk you escaping. Any last words?"
"Several," Denice replied, grinning coldly at him. "What makes you so certain that I did not plan on deceiving Amanda?"
"You would betray her?" Tobraea returned, eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"Why wouldn't I?" Denice replied with a shrug. "We know nothing of you, of your powers. We cannot hope to defeat those we know nothing about. It makes much more sense to join you, and perhaps get that part of the Dynasty I desire.
Tobraea stared at her for another moment before suddenly laughing manically.
"You have spoken well, warrior," he said after his laughter had finally died down. "But I will not trust you without cause. Bring me a big of a peace offering, and I will allow you to join us. I believe you know what I want?"
"Strata," Denice nodded, frowning thoughtfully. "But I have a tiny problem…."
"And that is?" Tobraea growled out impatiently.
"I want him for myself," Denice returned with a twisted grin.
Tobraea laughed again. "Then you can have him," he said. "Go get him now."
Denice bowed to Tobraea before turning on her heel and walking back out of the castle. When she reached the outside, she immediately spread her wings and took off.
~*~
"It's a cemetery," Cale said in disbelief, looking around.
"It is," Amanda agreed softly, moving to a small group of the crude wooden crosses stuck in the ground, and running a hand softly over the largest one. "This is the burial ground of our clan," she continued, giving a short bow to the cross. "Denice and I were the only survivors—Denice because Tobraea grabbed her, and I because they forced me into hiding." She paused then, tears in her eyes. "These three graves here are all that is left of Denice's family. Her brother was so young, just barely old enough to…." Amanda stopped suddenly. A single tear made its way down her cheek.
Cale stepped forward almost reflexively, and gently wiped the tear away. "I'm sorry," he stated simply.(2)
Amanda smiled softly at him for a moment before suddenly pulling away. "We should make some sort of shelter," was all she said.
The others looked around at each other for a moment before following Amanda's lead and beginning to help her.
"Looks as if we're not exactly alike," Anubisu murmured to Cale, grinning.
Cale only blushed.
When their crude shelter was completed, everyone sat down, preparing to relax. But they hadn't been resting for long before Denice had suddenly alighted to the ground in front of htem.
"That was quick," Sekhmet commented, earning a smack from Dais for his trouble.
"What are you doing back already?" Amanda asked.
"He doesn't quite believe me," Denice replied, shaking her head. "He says he wants a 'peace offering'."
"A peace offering?" Amanda repeated. "What could he possibly want?"
"He wants Strata."
All eyes turned to Rowen, who was suddenly pale.
"Me?" he squeaked out. "What does he want with me?"
"I'm not sure," Denice replied. "He probably just doesn't want any more enemies than he has already. With me joining him and bringing Strata with me, he's already got two less people to worry about. Or so he believes."
"So I'm going to be thrown in his dungeons in order to help get my friends out of the dungeons?" Rowen asked blankly, sounding rather confused.(3)
"No, not in the dungeons," Denice returned awkwardly. "I can keep you out of them, but you must give me your armor orb and do whatever I tell you to do."
"So I become your slave."
"Something like that," Denice agreed. "But as it's the only way…."
"I'll do it," Rowen finally said, and he released his subarmor. He paused for a moment, clutching the marble in his hand, before he handed it to Denice.
"Right then," Denice said, putting the orb into a nearly invisible pocket. "I suppose it'll be faster if I carry you, so if you don't mind…."
"Uh…no, I suppose not," Rowen returned nervously.(4)
"I'm not sure how long I'll be," Denice said to Amanda, walking toward Rowen. "I'll be learning as much information about Tobraea and the dungeons as possible. We'll need it to fight him."
Amanda nodded as Denice wrapped an arm around Rowen and took off.
"This will be a long wait," Dais muttered to Rajura, who nodded absently back. "And I'm still not sure I trust her."
"Me neither," Rajura agreed. "But I suppose we'll find out soon enough."
~*~
"Excellent."
Tobraea was grinning. Rowen stared at him vaguely, unnerved. This guy just didn't seem human.
"Now, before I give you your room, and before we take a little trip to the dungeons, is there anything you'd particularly like to know?"
"Yes, actually," Denice replied. "How exactly did you get your powers? No mere mortal can—"
"We are not mere mortals," Tobraea interrupted, laughing slightly.(5) "We are spirits—something akin to the Nether Spirits Talpa controlled, but not quite the same."
"Then you can't be killed?" Denice breathed out, eyes widening.
"We can," Tobraea returned unpleasantly, no longer grinning. "The Ronins and Troopers are the only ones that can truly destroy us. Their weapons…" He paused, frowning. "But you don't need to know that."
"I suppose not," Denice murmured.
"You don't," Tobraea repeated. "Anyway. We were the first beings the Gods created. We are the true rulers of these realms of demons, and we alone have been given the power to jump across dimension with no problems. But we were not originally given form. Even we do not know how it happened, or where these armor came from.(6) But it has happened, and we are taking advantage of it."
"Why is it that you had to bring the elements and seasons to bring those from the Ningenkai?" Denice asked next.
"The balance of good and evil must remain consistent," Tobraea sneered in disgust. "But that is enough. You want to see the Ronins and Troopers, don't you? Bring Strata, I'm sure he would be delighted to see this."
"I'm sure," Denice agreed with her twisted grin.
~*~
"You know, this capture and torture business is really annoying," Kento grumbled, once again trying futilely to break out of his chains. "They could have at least left us with our armors."
"What's the point in torturing us anyway?" Shu grumbled in agreement with his counterpart. "At least Talpa had a good reason to suck our energy out."
"Would you two shut up already?" Shin finally snapped, growling. "I do not need to be reminded of that!"
"Sorry," Shu replied with a sigh. "But my sense of humor's gone now. And I'm starving."
"And no one else is?" Cye asked. "What I'd do for a kitchen right now. And a spatula, to shut you up."
"You wouldn't be able to use it anyway," Kento said sensibly.
"Stop arguing," Sage moaned.
"Please," Seiji agreed. "I have a horrible headache."
"Well aren't you special," Touma muttered sarcastically. "At least you didn't see someone that could have been you get killed."
"You cannot be sure he is truly dead, Touma," Seiji said, frowning thoughtfully. "All the armors are connected for them as they are for us. I am certain our counterparts would have felt their companion's death."
Touma looked about ready to snap something back, but the door to their dungeon was suddenly thrown open. Eighteen eyes stared angrily at Tobraea as he entered, two people behind him.
"Rowen!" Ryo gasped out as he suddenly recognized one of the people. Rowen's head snapped toward them immediately, and he walked over to them all. Neither Tobraea nor the almost familiar woman with him seemed to notice.
"Where's your armor?" Ryo hissed at him immediately.
"Denice has it," Rowen replied, shrugging helplessly.
"Who?"
"The girl over there," Rowen replied, nodding his head in her direction. "She's trying to help. She, the Warlords, the Masho, and some friend of hers came up with some odd plan to get you all out."
"Are you sure you can trust them?"
"Not at all," Rowen shrugged. "But it's the only chance we've got. I can't get you out of here on my own…."
"Especially now you've gone and given your armor to that…whatever she is."
"Demon?" Rowen provided.
"Whatever," Ryo agreed crossly.
"Wait a second," Touma said suddenly. "How'd you get healed so fast? You were nearly dead before!"
"Denice's friend—her name's Amanda—has this extremely powerful healing power. The only problem is that it completely drains her of her energy, so she's barely even capable of standing," Rowen explained.
"Denice got any special abilities?" Ryo asked immediately.
"Not that I know of. Actually, I think she's just a regular fighter. Everyone's got this odd habit of calling her a warrior."
"She must be extremely powerful then," Touma murmured thoughtfully.
"Well, of course I am!" Denice's voice suddenly rang out. Rowen turned to see Denice walking toward them, Tobraea nowhere in sight. "I wouldn't be alive if I wasn't!"
"Where's Tobraea?" Rowen asked curiously.
"Waiting for us," Denice responded nonchalantly. "So we should get going, shouldn't we? I think he wants to show us to our room."
"Your room?" Sage sputtered out. "Both of you are going to be in the same room?"
"Apparently," Denice responded dryly. "You must be Halo. I hear Korin's afraid of women," she grinned.
Seiji glared at her, but didn't say anything in his own defense.
"As I thought," Denice smirked smugly. "Let's go, Strata."
"But—" Rowen began, but stopped short as Denice glared at him, stepping forward slightly.
"Don't argue with me, Strata," she hissed in a low whisper. "If this plan is going to work, you're going to have to play this little game properly. You will do whatever I say whenever I say. As far as Tobraea is concerned, I should kill any disobedient servants, as they obviously aren't needed. Remember that."
"Er…right. Sorry," Rowen muttered back.
"Better," she murmured, and then returned to her normal tone of voice. "Enjoy your stay, boys!" she grinned to the Ronins and Troopers before grabbing a tight hold on Rowen's arm and leading him out of the room.
"And here we go again…," Touma muttered to himself.(7)
A/N: That was fun! *bounces off to type the next chapter*
(1) Ala scary movie. ^-^
(2) Do you know how much this makes me love Cale? He's such a sweetie! *sniffles and hugs Cale*
(3) Not exactly up to par today, is he? I blame the blood loss.
(4) What does he think Denice will do? Drop him? …Man, I like making fun of what I write too much. ^^;
(5) My, he's certainly a cheerful bad guy.
(6) Good way to plug up a plot hole, isn't it? "Nobody knows, and we expect you not to care." *grins* I'm kidding, don't worry. We…might…find out. If I can…well. Nevermind.
(7) Touma's final comment here can be taken two ways. For those that believe Rowen actually liked Kayura, it could mean that Rowen was, again, liking the "evil" girl. Otherwise, it can simply be that it's practically him trying a half-baked rescue plan. Again. ^^
Thanks to:
Nell- Um…yeah, sure thing, Nell.
Harry2- Hm… I'm not too sure about roasting him over a fire. I hear burning flesh is a really bad smell. Oh, and glad you still like it. ^-^
WildfireDreams- Thankies. ^-^