Chapter 8
Mia's living room…
Kayura composed herself.
"How do you know Ayato has them?" she asked Karala. The girl was pale, very abnormal.
"I don't know, I can just feel it."
Kayura considered this for a second. "I'm not going to take the chance that you're wrong, so we're going to have to go and rescue them. The only problem is, we have no idea of the layout of his fortress, or where they're being kept. Unless..." she trailed off, looking at Karala.
Karala looked uncomfortable. "I know where they are, and I can lead you to them." she stated quietly.
Kale studied her face for a second. "There's something you're not telling us." he said.
Karala looked at him, her features showing surprise at his having noticed. She sighed.
"It was always going to come out someday." she paused. "When Charaka and the other Warlords killed my parents, they captured me as well. They tortured me for about a week, then Jasta brought me back in time so no-one would notice that I'd been gone. The dungeons are all in the same place, plus I can feel them. I also know what time the guard changes and several of the secret passages."
Everyone else was stunned. She'd been through more than they'd thought.
Sekhmet cleared his throat. "Not to be seen as insensitive, but we really need to get Ryo out of there. What's our plan?"
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Ryo was curled up in a cell, different from the first one, his body wracked with pain. Mia was somewhere else, but he didn't care. He jumped when the door opened. This time it was Darya, on her own. She motioned him up, then gestured for him to follow her. He did so without comment.
They stopped in front of the throne room again. The Warlady of Nature turned to him, saying: "A word of advice, Wildfire. Master Ayato does not like to be kept waiting. Tell him what you know or he will make your life a burden to you."
She pushed him through the doors and followed him silently. Ryo found himself again in the presence of the master of the Dynasty.
Ayato smiled cruelly. "I trust you enjoyed your stay in the Gargoyles?"
Ryo said nothing.
"No doubt Darya will have warned you what will happen should you fail to supply me with the information I need."
"Why do you want to know about her?" Ryo asked.
"I want to know her weaknesses, her strengths, anything that could be useful in a battle. She is the single greatest threat to my empire, and I would like to hold some trump cards in my hand when I confront her."
"What would you do if I did tell you?"
"I might let you go, I suppose, but at the very least you would not endure any more torture." Ayato watched the boy carefully. "Will you tell me or not?"
"No."
"Very well. You know the consequences."
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Sage smiled. Karala's plan was straightforward, simple, and not what the emperor would expect. Brilliant.
"So when do we leave?" Kento asked, grinning.
Karala smiled back. "As soon as I can find the opening in the shield."
"Why is there an opening?" Kale looked puzzled.
"There's too much concentrated power in the Dynasty to be kept there permanently. There has to be an opening or the entire dimension would explode." Karala explained.
She closed her eyes. The others could feel her reaching out for this opening. She stayed like that for what seemed like hours, before opening her eyes and grinning.
"Got it!"
A black portal opened in front of them. Karala stood up and walked through, followed by the others. The portal closed silently behind them.
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Well? Reactions, reviews, etc? PLEASE!
Carline
P.S. Thanks to Queen Diamond for her review.